Thailand moves to require the doctor’s approval for cannabis sales, which disturbs the emerging industry

The Kingdom was the first country in Southeast Asia to criminalize the drug when he was removed from the banned drug list in June 2022.

The intention was to allow sales for medical use instead of entertainment use, but this step led to hundreds of cannabis “clinics” that appear throughout the country, especially in Bangkok.

Although relaxation has proven that it is common for some tourists, there are fears that trade is not organized.

The Minister of Health Somsak Thepsuten signed an order late on Tuesday and asks the doctor at the site to approve sales for medical reasons.

Al -Qaeda will not come into effect until after its publication in the official royal newspaper. It is not clear when this will happen.

Thanat Chotiwong, a hashish activist and the owner of the store for a long time.

“This is a complete industry-not just farmers who sell flowers. There are lighting suppliers, construction crews, farmers, soil and fertilizers developers, and dangerous research and development.”

“Some of us have invested tens of millions of faded in greenhouses and infrastructure. Then suddenly, the government interferes to close everything.”

The government instead urges the government to “implement appropriate taxes and organization – so these revenues can be returned to society in a useful way.”

“Very few doctors”

The government issued several previous advertisements for plans to restrict cannabis, including legislation that was transferred in February last year, but none of them was destroyed.

The new rules may mean that cannabis can only be sold to customers for medical reasons, under the supervision of licensed professionals such as doctors, traditional Thai medicine doctors, popular therapists or dentists.

“The customers come, and they say what are the symptoms they possess, and the doctor decides the number of hashish fines and any strain to describe them,” said Kakanit Sakdisopha, the owner of the cannabis store for clinics in Bangkok.

“The option is no longer up to the customer – he doesn’t like to go to a restaurant and choose your favorite dish from a list anymore.”

He warned that many of the stores that have spread since their criminalization would not be able to adapt to changes.

He said: “The truth is that there are a very few available doctors. I think many entrepreneurs know that the regulations are coming, but no one knows when.”

While waiting for the rules to enter into force, the clinic stops hemp sales as a preventive measure, the Bukoree Make store said.

“The customers themselves are not sure whether what they do is legally. I have received a lot of calls,” said Burdamat, the main seller or “Budtender”, to Agence France Presse.

The cannabis step comes as the Thai government is by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra hanging with strings after losing its main partner in the coalition, Bhumjaithai.

Despite the conservatives, the Bhumjaithai party has long supported more liberal laws on hemp.

The party resigned from the coalition this month in a row about a phone call that was leaked between Paetongtarn and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.