Thailand to ban recreational cannabis use by year-end, says health minister

The Star

Thailand will ban the recreational use of marijuana by the end of this year, but continue allowing its use for medical purposes, the health minister told Reuters in an interview.  Read more at http://tinyurl.com/5n6euv9f  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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00:00 Thailand will ban the use of recreational cannabis by the end of this year.

00:06 That's according to the country's health minister in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday.

00:11 However, Minister Chonlannan Sikhao said use for medical purposes would still be allowed.

00:18 Tens of thousands of cannabis shops sprang up in Thailand

00:22 after it became the first Southeast Asian country to legalise its medicinal use in 2018.

00:28 And then recreational use in 2022.

00:31 The industry is projected to be worth $1.2 billion by next year.

00:36 However, critics argue the rules were rushed out

00:40 having been adopted within a week of decriminalisation.

00:44 And now, the health minister says the aim is for a draft law to get to parliament by the end of 2024.

00:51 Because the law hasn't passed yet,

00:54 anyone can go into a shop and buy cannabis sold in those glass containers

00:58 and claim they need it for medical purposes.

01:01 This is the loophole that we cannot control

01:03 and therefore we needed to draft this law to regulate that in the future.

01:07 Those who need it would have to have a medical prescription to prove that it's for health reasons.

01:11 Sikhao also went on to say that without the law,

01:14 cannabis could be "misused and that it could lead to other drugs".

01:19 The proposed law sets a fine of up to $1,700 for recreational use

01:25 with maximum jail terms of a year,

01:27 a fine of up to $2,800 or both for those selling cannabis or promoting related products.

01:35 The minister told Reuters that under the new law,

01:38 permits will be required in the cannabis trade

01:41 and that businesses will be given time to adapt to the new regulations,

01:45 with existing shops being able to continue operations until their licenses expire

01:50 and to switch to legal clinics if they comply with the rules.

01:54 For more information, visit www.fema.gov

01:56 [end]

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