Thailand has started banning the sale of cannabis to those without a prescription, three years after becoming the first country in Asia to decriminalize the plant.
Thailand is now banning cannabis sales without a prescription, three years after decriminalizing the plant. It bans shops from selling cannabis to customers without a prescription and reclassifies cannabis buds as a controlled herb.
Sellers that violate the new order could face a maximum one-year jail term and a 20,000-baht ($614) fine.
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine held an online meeting Friday with officials nationwide to prepare for the cannabis regulation change.
Officials said licensed shops can keep operating but must source products from certified pharmaceutical-grade farms and report their sources monthly.Those farms must also acquire a license for selling cannabis. Shops may only sell a limited amount of cannabis to prescription holders—enough for 30 days’ personal use.
They said the department is creating clear guidelines for cannabis prescriptions and enforcing the new rules. Shops will get time to adjust, but no exact timeframe was given.
