Phuket authorities revoke 35 cannabis licenses and suspend 112 shops

Authorities in Phuket, Thailand, have revoked 35 cannabis shop licenses and suspended 112 others as part of an ongoing enforcement drive to tighten industry oversight. As of August 28, the number of registered cannabis shops in the province had decreased to 1,065 from a previous count of 1,089.

The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office reported that legal action is being taken against several businesses for various regulatory breaches. Specifically, 17 shops were cited for violating the Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medicine Wisdom Act 1999, involving either selling controlled herbs without a license or continuing operations while a license was suspended. Additionally, 23 shops were reported for violating the Food Act 1979 regarding food-labeling requirements.

These measures were presented during a meeting of the Joint Public-Private Sector Committee for Solving Economic Problems in Phuket, chaired by Governor Chotinrin Kerdsum. The inspections align with a broader effort by the Ministry of Public Health to strengthen the regulatory framework and restrict cannabis use primarily to medical purposes.