Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Thailand was the first country in Asia to legalize marijuana. Things
didn’t go as planned
In Thailand, cannabis has been widely consumed for both medical and recreational
purposes, even though it was criminalized in 1935 and again in 1979. In 2018,
Thailand legalized the use of cannabis for medical purposes, becoming the first
nation in Asia. Then in 2022, the cannabis flower was removed from the narcotics
list, which effectively decriminalized planting, growing, trading, selling, and
consuming of cannabis. Numerous cannabis dispensaries emerged for locals and
tourists, creating child users, addiction, narco-tourism, and smuggling. Last
month, the government reclassified the cannabis flower as a controlled herb and
prohibited its sale for recreational purposes. Now, buyers of cannabis are
required to present a prescription from a doctor, which might be purchased
unofficially. What will happen to the already-established cannabis production,
distribution, and sales network? Will re-criminalizing marijuana stop leisure consumption,
or just add some cost and enhance the value of cannabis?
Read the article and
learn about Thailand’s struggle with the use of marijuana.
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