Thailand Cabinet approves draft bill to tighten cannabis industry controls

Thailand’s Cabinet has approved a draft cannabis control bill aimed at tightening oversight of the nation’s cannabis industry and shifting the focus back toward medical use. The legislation, which will move to the House of Representatives for consideration, seeks to replace existing regulations with a nationwide system covering cultivation, production, import, export, and sale.

Under the proposed rules, growers must register plantations by size and location to allow authorities to trace products from cultivation to sale. The bill introduces stricter prohibitions, including banning sales to individuals under 20, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women. It also restricts sales near schools, temples, and parks, while prohibiting the advertising of cannabis flowers, resin, and smoking equipment.

Violations, such as unlicensed production or sales to protected groups, could result in fines and imprisonment. For existing businesses, a transition is already underway; current dispensary licenses will expire in stages through 2028. To continue operating, businesses must transition into licensed medical facilities that employ qualified practitioners and operate under medical prescriptions.