THE kingdom plans to relist cannabis as a narcotic and issue permits only to those who grow and use it for medical purposes and research, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said.
The comments follow a stunning policy reversal this month by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who pledged to re-criminalise cannabis by the year-end after it was de-criminalised in 2022.
Recreational use will be barred by a new regulation, Somsak said, with a licence required by those who grow, export and possess it for medical and research use, though details of the licensing process were still being worked out.
“The permit system must not place an unreasonable burden on the public,” he said in a post on Facebook, adding that there would be a grace period given.Pro-cannabis groups have protested against Srettha’s move, saying it stands to damage business confidence after thousands of cannabis cafes and dispensaries sprang up after legalisation, an industry projected to be worth up to US$1.2bil (RM5.65bil) by 2025. — Reuters
