High and dry: Health minister’s war on cannabis shops
Health boss vows to put weed back on banned list, experts say it’s a pipe dream
The minister of public health declared a dramatic U-turn on cannabis policy but with thousands of shops raking in billions and a booming weed culture now woven into daily life, critics say his war on weed is destined to go up in smoke.
Health chief Somsak Thepsuthin sent shockwaves through Thailand’s green economy today, June 24, by signing off on new rules that would effectively end the recreational cannabis free-for-all.
Somsak insisted cannabis “must be used for medical purposes only” from now on, meaning customers will need both a prescription and a medical certificate before buying any buds. The move comes despite weed shops mushrooming across the kingdom since its decriminalisation in 2022.
The minister claims the public supports the return of cannabis to the list of controlled substances and said his ministry had received plenty of complaints, especially under former PM Srettha Thavisin’s tenure.
Dream or delusion?
Somsak’s announcement is being met with raised eyebrows from business owners and economists alike.
With an estimated 15,000–20,000 cannabis shops already in operation and Thailand’s cannabis market projected to be worth up to 40 billion baht a year, reclassifying the plant as a controlled narcotic could wipe out jobs, tourism revenue, and millions in tax income almost overnight.
Industry observers say a crackdown of this scale is “highly unlikely” and that attempts to roll back liberalisation would lead to legal chaos and furious pushback from small business owners who invested heavily after the 2022 green light.
Under the new proposal, cannabis retailers would need to have a doctor on site or arrange monthly inspections, with violators losing their licences after two strikes. A fresh ministerial regulation will need to be drafted to enforce these conditions, Channel 7 News reported.
Somsak also dismissed rumours that the crackdown is a political attack on the Bhumjaithai Party, who previously championed cannabis reform but recently walked away from the governing coalition. He claimed this was “not a political game,” but an overdue response to “a chronic problem.”
He took a swipe at past administrations for blurring the legal lines, accusing them of pushing “political statements that didn’t match the heart and mind of the law.”
Sceptics say the idea of shutting down Thailand’s weed boom is detached from reality, especially in tourist-heavy zones where joints are as common as coconut shakes.
Even if the Cannabis Control Act is revived, Somsak admitted “it’s a dream” to think it’ll pass in time.
In the meantime, Thailand’s booming green economy continues to puff along and any serious crackdown could leave the government dazed, confused, and out of pocket.
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