As the nation became the first in Asia to decriminalize cannabis a year ago, hailand's new prime minister vowed to restrict the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
Srettha Thavisin, in an interview with Bloomberg Television's Haslinda Amin, said the government will strive to'rectify' its cannabis policy and rampant sprouting of dispensaries that freely sell the drug within a six-month time frame.
Srettha said it was hard to tell what she was talking about in the interview. There can't be a middle ground for recreational use, he said.
While Srettha has said there is a broad agreement among the 11-party coalition he heads about the need to restrict cannabis use, how exactly his administration will proceed remains unknown.
Srettha's Pheu Thai Party vowed to end the landmark policy of decriminalizing cannabis ahead of the May election. It's now in a coalition with the Bhumjaithai Party led by Anutin Charnvirakul, a member of the Bhumjaithai Party, who has vowed to press ahead with a plan to reintroduce a cannabis bill, which seeks tighter monitoring of the industry but opposes classifying the plant as a drug again.
After the decision to declassify marijuana as a narcotic, there has been a mushrooming of nearly 6,000 dispensaries across the nation. It sells everything from cannabis buds to oil extracts containing less than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive compound that gives users a 'high' sensation.
The nation's Food and Drug Administration allows farmers to grow cannabis free after registering with the nation's Food and Drug Administration. Unbridled imports and depressed prices have been a concern for local dispensary owners.
Srettha's government has said it will 'decisively reduce' the menace from Thai society in a year, with the prime minister saying he will 'decisively reduce' the menace within a year.
Thailand is considered the main hub for drug trafficking throughout Southeast Asia's vast Mekong River valley, with law enforcement agencies frequently turning a blind eye. In 2019, Southeast Asia's organized crime industry, including illegal trade in drugs and wildlife, was valued at an estimated $130 billion, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes.
Srettha said she was confident that she would not be discriminated against for her work, and that she would not discriminate against anyone. ''T need another issue added on top of that.