Implemented cannabis regulations prohibit the majority of on-site smoking within retail establishments
Transforming Cannabis Culture in Thailand: A Closer Look at the New Regulations
口罪unning around the severe restrictions imposed by the new regulations regarding cannabis sales and consumption. The health minister, Somsak Thepsuthin, has signed off on these new rules, effective from November 11, 2025.
To make a purchase, you'll now need a medical prescription, effectively outlawing recreational use and keeping cannabis officially tucked away in the doctor's office.
The amendments will officially go into effect following their publication in the Royal Gazette.
Striving for transparency and accountability, those wishing to explore, export, sell or process cannabis must obtain the necessary licenses. They will also be called upon to provide details of the source, intended use, and the quantity of cannabis they possess, and submit frequent reports to the registrar.
Under this new regime, the sale of cannabis for smoking will not be allowed in cannabis retail premises. However, a licensed medical professional—be it a pracitioner of traditional Thai or Chinese medicine, a dentist, or a folk healer treating their own patients—will be permitted to supervise smoking sessions under specific medical conditions.
The sale of cannabis is limited to a 30-day supply per prescription. The dispensary of cannabis products through vending machines, digital channels, or computer networks, as well as advertising on all mediums, are entirely prohibited.
According to Phanurat Lukboon, the secretary-general of the Narcotics Control Board, the number of habitual cannabis users soared to 700,000 in 2023, a significant increase from the previous year. This surge was reportedly triggered by the decriminalization of cannabis in 2022.
The new regulation amounts to a stringent crackdown on recreational cannabis use, with approximately 18,000 retail shops expected to close shop.
To reiterate, Thailand's new cannabis regulations enforce rigorous licensing and monitoring for cultivation and distribution, restrict legal use exclusively to medical prescriptions issued and applied by approved professionals, ban recreational use and smoking in public or commercial spaces, and reclassify cannabis flowers as controlled substances subject to stern enforcement actions. This amendment marks a dramatic policy shift geared towards curbing cannabis misuse and prioritizing medical applications.
- The new health-and-wellness policies in Thailand emphasize the medical use of cannabis, moving away from recreational use, due to the increasing number of habitual users, which reached 700,000 in 2023.
- Under the new regulations, the sales and consumption of cannabis for smoking will be restricted, with licensed medical professionals being the only ones to supervise smoking sessions in specific medical conditions.
- As part of the policy-and-legislation changes, the sale of cannabis is limited to a 30-day supply per prescription, and the dispensary of cannabis products through digital channels, vending machines, or computer networks is entirely prohibited.
- To ensure transparency and accountability, those involved in the cultivation, export, sale, or processing of cannabis must obtain the necessary licenses and provide details of the source, intended use, and the quantity of cannabis they possess, with frequent reports to be submitted to the registrar.
