Thailand Presses Medical Cannabis Only Bill towards Cabinet as the Enforcement Drive Widens

The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand is pushing ahead with the draft Cannabis and Hemp Act, which would limit Thailand’s liberal cannabis market only to medical and research uses. 

Preemptively, the law is being implemented on the ground as the cabinet of the Prime Minister who decriminalised marijuana three years ago approaches. 

Since October 2025, some 84 dispensary licences have been suspended, and more than 109m baht (£2.4m) of product has been seized by inspectors. 

This bill is the culmination of the Government’s move away from decriminalising cannabis for recreational purposes, following the explosive growth of cannabis dispensaries after its removal from the Narcotics List in June 2020. 

Thailand will become an exclusively medical market in the near future, as international pressure continues to mount to stop illegal imports of cannabis across Europe. This is good news for consumers and businesses alike. 

What has happened?

Pattana PROMPHA, Public Health Minister and Chairperson of a Meeting on Guidelines for Applying Cannabis Rules under the Drug Control Act (DCRA), set the figures yesterday. Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medical Knowledge Act. 

Since October last year, the authorities have carried out 1,326 marijuana shop inspections, 83 seizures, and launched legal proceedings for 40 people or businesses. Since October, officials have reviewed 39 appeals of suspension or revocation. 

The Royal Thai Police, local administrations and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development trained participants on the procedures for cultivation, sale, medical usage and inspection. This was done ahead of the nationwide sweep, in which those who violated the rules would face suspensions, fines, or even prosecution.

Pattana said at the meeting that marijuana is only used for medical purposes. 

Under the proposed legislation, this enforcement would become a standard practice. Under the direction of Director General Dr Pongsathorn Phokphermdee (DTAM), Pattana received a draft Cannabis Control Act on 21 July. 

This law creates a National Cannabis Committee, chaired and supervised by the Minister of Public Health, as well as requiring DTAM three-year licences to be obtained for import, sale, cultivation and production. Under current law, extracts containing more tetrahydrocannabinol than 0.2% remain a narcotic.

Sale of cannabis to those under 20 and pregnant and breastfeeding women will be prohibited, as well as near schools, dormitories, public parks, temples and other places. Cannabis flower, resin, smoking devices and advertising of them would be prohibited. Import, export, production and sale without a license would also face harsher penalties.

A part of the enforcement infrastructure is already in place. An official ministerial order published in the Royal Gazette The criteria for cannabis flowers licences were tightened on April 30th, 2026. Applicants now need medical, pharmaceutical and licensed-healer credentials. Additionally, they must maintain dedicated, elevated storage and install odour control and smoke control, as well as keep DTAM staff present on the site at all times. 

Licenses are not renewed if the licensee has previously been banned for breaking controlled herb rules.

READ MORE…

Politics behind the pivot

Anutin Charnvirakul became Thailand’s Prime Minister in September 2025 after the general elections in March of this year. He was confirmed by the parliament.

Instead of the total prohibition that his opponents wanted, his government has opted for a more regulated medical cannabis framework. 

The cannabis policy is closely tied to the control of health ministers than it has been with any change in public opinion. Srettha Takvisin, Paetongtarn Shnawatra and the Pheu Thai led governments reversed the trend. 

Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin signed an order in June 2025 requiring prescriptions for cannabis purchases, reclassified the flower as a controlled herb and vowed to return cannabis to the Category 5 narcotics list, dismissing Bhumjaithai’s rival control bill as ‘a daydream’. 

The threat subsided only when Bhumjaithai left the coalition in 2025. After that, Paetongtarn was removed by the Constitutional Court and Anutin became the prime minister. 

Operators will now have a more stable framework based on medical law, rather than the criminal law cliff-edge that was looming a year earlier, even though the Cannabis Control Act still needs to be approved by the cabinet and the parliament. 

Pattana admitted that the political turmoil has delayed the legislation, but stated the government remains committed to speeding it up.

The compliance on the ground is still patchy. ‘No one really follows the official way of making a legal purchase,’ cannabis advocate Chokwan Chopaka told Thai Examiner. 

Global pressure

The UK became the largest supplier of cannabis in the UK after decriminalisation took place in 2022. 

The National Crime Agency in Britain confiscated 26.9 tons of drugs from passengers on British flights in 2024. This was up from 5 tonnes the year prior, and 28 tonnes more in 2025. The number of arrests made at UK airports increased from 142 to 801. In 2024, the figure jumped to 976. At one time, about half were traced to Thailand.

Home Office reports that Operation Chaophraya – a joint UK Home Office/Thai Customs effort started in July 2024 – reduced the amount of cannabis being sent to Britain from Thailand by 90 percent in the 1st quarter of 2025. More than 50 British citizens were arrested in Thailand. 

From June 17, 2026, Thailand imposes a fine of 30,000 baht (roughly £680), for every kilogram of cannabis a traveller attempts to export, with up to two years in detention for those who cannot pay. 

Phanthong Lonkulnanta is the Director General of Thai Customs. He said that illegal cannabis exports are a criminal activity carried out by international organised crime groups.

The smuggling incident is believed to be the catalyst for this policy change. Although it did not say so, it cited the protection of youth as the reason. 

According to Prohibition Partners, as of November 2025 DTAM had 149 certified farms to Good Agricultural and Collection Practices. There were also 11,814 cannabis operators licensed. Global Medical Cannabis Market Review by 2026. 

This number is likely to drop as dispensaries for adult use, which are now required to serve real patients under the new system, struggle to remain afloat.

Export opportunities are significant for producers who have already established themselves to service a medical industry.  Thailand’s medical cannabis exports from 2023 to Australia, which were 11 kilograms, increased to over 1 tonne in the year following. 

The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand is pushing ahead with the draft Cannabis and Hemp Act, which would limit Thailand’s liberal cannabis market only to medical and research uses. 

The act is being implemented preemptively on the ground as it nears the cabinet of the Prime Minister who decriminalised Cannabis three years prior. 

Since October 2025, some 84 dispensary licences have been suspended, and more than 109m baht (£2.4m) of product has been seized by inspectors. 

After the cannabis was removed from the list of narcotics in June 2022, the bill will mark the last step for the government to move away from decriminalising recreational marijuana. 

Thailand will become an exclusively medical market in the near future, as international pressure continues to mount to stop illegal imports of cannabis across Europe. This is good news for consumers and businesses alike. 

What has happened?

Pattana Prmphat, Minister of Public Health in Thailand (who was present at a workshop on the guidelines to apply cannabis laws under the new law) presented the figures for enforcement yesterday (3 August). Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medical Knowledge Act. 

Since October last year, the authorities have carried out 1,326 marijuana shop inspections, 83 seizures, and launched legal proceedings for 40 people or businesses. The officials have examined 39 appeals for suspensions and revocations. 

In preparation for a national sweep where violators will face correction orders, license suspension, closure, or criminal prosecution, participants from the ministry and Royal Thai Police as well as local administrative agencies were instructed on cultivation, sales and medical uses.

Pattana said at the meeting that marijuana is only used for medical purposes. 

Under the proposed legislation, this enforcement would become a standard practice. Under the direction of Director General Dr Pongsathorn Phokphermdee (DTAM), Pattana received a draft Cannabis Control Act on 21 July. 

This law creates a National Cannabis Committee, chaired and supervised by the Minister of Public Health, as well as requiring DTAM three-year licences to be obtained for import, sale, cultivation and production. Under current law, extracts containing more tetrahydrocannabinol than 0.2% remain narcotics.

Sale of cannabis to those under 20 and pregnant and breastfeeding women will be prohibited, as well as near schools, dormitories, public parks, temples and other places. Cannabis flower, resin, smoking devices and advertising of them would be prohibited. Import, export, production and sale without a license would also face harsher penalties.

A part of the enforcement infrastructure is already in place. An official ministerial order published by the Royal Gazette On April 30, 2026, the government tightened up its criteria for cannabis flower licences. Applicants must now have medical, pharmaceutical, or licensed healer credentials. They also need to maintain dedicated storage and install odour- and smoke-controlling devices, as well as keep DTAM trained staff at their site. 

Licenses are not renewed if the licensee has previously been banned for breaking controlled herb rules.

READ MORE…

Politics behind the pivot

Anutin Charnvirakul is the Bhumjaithai leader, who, as Health Minister, removed cannabis from the list of narcotics in June 2022. In September 2025 he became Thailand’s Prime minister, after which a new general election was held in March.

Instead of the total prohibition that his opponents wanted, his government has opted for a cannabis-regulated medical framework. 

The cannabis policy is closely tied to the control of health ministers than it has been with any change in public opinion. Srettha Takvisin, Paetongtarn Shohnawatra and the Pheu Thai led governments reversed the trend. 

Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin signed an order in June 2025 requiring prescriptions for cannabis purchases, reclassified the flower as a controlled herb and vowed to return cannabis to the Category 5 narcotics list, dismissing Bhumjaithai’s rival control bill as ‘a daydream’. 

This threat was only quelled after Bhumjaithai resigned from the coalition. In August 2025 the Constitutional Court impeached Paetongtarn, and Anutin assumed the position of premier. 

The Cannabis Control Act still needs to be approved by the cabinet and the parliament. 

Pattana admitted that the political turmoil has delayed the legislation, but stated the government remains committed to speeding it up.

The compliance on the ground is still patchy. ‘No one really follows the official way of making a legal purchase,’ cannabis advocate Chokwan Chopaka told Thai Examiner. 

Global pressure

In 2022 the UK was the biggest source of cannabis being smuggled into the UK by air after the decriminalisation. 

The National Crime Agency in Britain confiscated 26.9 tons of drugs from passengers on British flights in 2024. This was up from 5 tonnes the year prior, and 28 tonnes more in 2025. The number of arrests made at UK airports increased from 142 to 801. In 2024, the figure jumped to 976. At one time, about half were traced to Thailand.

Home Office reports that Operation Chaophraya – a joint UK Home Office/Thai Customs effort started in July 2024 – reduced the amount of cannabis being sent to Britain from Thailand by 90 percent in the 1st quarter of 2025. More than 50 British citizens were arrested in Thailand. 

From June 17, 2026, Thailand imposes a fine of 30,000 baht (roughly £680), for every kilogram of cannabis a traveller attempts to export, with up to two years in detention for those who cannot pay. 

Phanthong Lorykulnanta said, “The illegal import of cannabis is a crime committed by transnational organized criminal networks.”

It hasn’t said so publicly, but the scandal of smuggling is thought to accelerate the policy shift. 

According to Prohibition Partners, as of November 2025 DTAM had 149 certified farms to Good Agricultural and Collection Practices. There were also 11,814 cannabis operators licensed. Global Medical Cannabis Market Review by 2026. 

This number is likely to drop as dispensaries for adult use, which are now required to serve real patients under the new system, struggle to remain afloat.

The export market is a significant opportunity for those who are already established to supply a medical sector.  Thailand’s initial medical cannabis imports in 2023 were just 11 kilograms. The following year, the exports grew to a little over one ton. 

Cannabis Law Resources for Poland

Discover essential legal information about the cultivation of cannabis, its sale, and regulations governing medical products in Poland. These guides will help you understand the legal requirements, such as certification and permissions.

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  Polish News Registration and Interests of Cannabis Businesses
  
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  Permissions for Cannabis Sales in Poland
  
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  Authorization for Importing or Manufacturing Medical Products
  
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  Permission for Manufacturing or Importing Medical Products
  
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  Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
  
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  Registration of Medical Products in Poland