Thailand Tightens Cannabis Regulations, Reaffirms Medical Use Focus

Thailand’s Cabinet has approved a draft Cannabis Control Act that would tighten regulation from cultivation to retail sales, with Public Health Minister Pattana Promphan reaffirming that cannabis is intended for medical use only. The draft law will now be forwarded to the House of Representatives for consideration. It would introduce clearer controls over cannabis cultivation, processing and use, while increasing penalties for violations. Under the proposed system, cannabis farms would have to be registered and classified according to their size, allowing authorities to track where cannabis is grown and monitor production, extraction and the use of flowers. Pattana said the government’s policy is to restrict cannabis to medical purposes. Existing cannabis shops operating under current licenses will be affected as those licenses expire between 2026 and 2028. Shops that are not already registered as medical facilities would have to change their status if they want to continue operating under the new requirements. They would need a medical professional on site, while cannabis medicines could only be dispensed with a prescription signed by a doctor. The government is also expanding its system for checking licensed cannabis businesses and cultivation sites. Pattana said more than 10,000 locations had been entered into the system, covering more than 95% of the information currently available. He said authorities would step up inspections of existing cannabis shops, with particular attention to major cities and tourist destinations. The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine is expected to provide further details on enforcement and inspections. Thailand has already tightened cannabis controls under the 2025 controlled-herb rules, which classify cannabis flower as a controlled herbal product and require permission for activities including commercial sale and processing. The ministry has also been conducting inspections across the country. In August, it reported inspections of more than 1,300 establishments, along with license suspensions and revocations for violations. The proposed law is intended to provide a more comprehensive legal framework covering cultivation, commercial activities and penalties while keeping medical use at the center of Thailand’s cannabis policy.