The Thai government is looking into a ban on the recreational use of cannabis, two years after its decriminalization, reports Bloomberg.

Thailand is looking to get a new cannabis bill, banning the recreational use of the drug, approved by lawmakers in the lower house by the end of October, which would be followed by a cabinet review, Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew told Bloomberg.
Since, cannabis was decriminalized two years ago, a number of dispensaries have appeared across the country although efforts to establish regulations around the marijuana industry have failed, leading to a rise in drug addiction, according to some politicians.
“It’s an issue of great concern to us, because the legal gap has led to free use of cannabis and there aren’t enough regulations to prevent misuse,” said Cholnan. “This bill will control cannabis, especially its buds, just as strictly as we would a drug.”
Currently, smoking the drug in public is banned and, under the proposed bill, people using cannabis anywhere, even within their own homes, would be fined up to THB 60,000 (USD 1,663), reports Bloomberg. Cannabis sellers would face up to one year in jail or a THB 100,000 (USD 2,772) fine, or both.
“It will kick in like a bang,” Cholnan said of the proposed bill. “You can’t brazenly use it recreationally anymore. You can’t put the buds in jars and sell them for recreation, to be used for fun at parties, anymore. That will be illegal, and we’ll arrest you.”
“The cannabis industry has fully come above ground and is thriving,” Rattapon Sanrak, founder of the cannabis advocacy group Highland Network criticized the plans. “The ban will have far-reaching impacts, especially for small businesses and farms. It will force us to close down and eventually die out.”
Cholnan, on the other hand, argued that cannabis as an economic crop would not be affected and growers and sellers would only have to adhere to stricter rules. He also said the government could have taken an even harsher approach.
“We can do it this way, or we can make cannabis a narcotic again, and everyone will be prosecuted,” he said. “This bill is already a compromise.”