Medical cannabis has been legalized in Thailand since 2018, and laws on cannabis crackdowns have been significantly eased in 2022.
Medical cannabis has been used in the treatment of previously intractable diseases such as epilepsy, slowing the speed of cancer cell growth, slowing the synthesis of substances that cause Alzheimer’s disease, reducing pain from joint pain, improving symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and improving insomnia.
In recent years, various studies have shown the benefits of medical cannabis, and there has been a worldwide movement to allow medical cannabis. Regulations on medical marijuana vary from country to country, but since the use of medical cannabis has been legalized in Thailand, more and more people are receiving treatment with medical cannabis.
In this issue, we will explore the situation in Thailand where medical cannabis has been legalized and the future of the Thai medical cannabis market.
Contents
Before the legalization of medical cannabis
In Thailand, the use and possession of cannabis, including medical cannabis, was prohibited from the 1930s until 2018 and was registered on the drug list. 2022 saw the decriminalization of cannabis and its removal from the drug list.
Until then, Thai law treated it as a drug, but the Thai people traditionally used cannabis for medical purposes and in cooking; there was evidence of cannabis use as early as the 13th century, and the medicinal properties of cannabis were recognized to treat a variety of diseases.
In the 16th to 18th centuries, during the Ayutthaya period, cannabis cultivation flourished and was used for medicinal purposes and in religious ceremonies.
Around the 20th century, the idea of cannabis changed worldwide and began to be regulated.
After medical cannabis was legalized
In 2018, medical cannabis was legalized for the first time in Southeast Asia, and in 2020, it was allowed to be used in licensed laboratories and licensed medical institutions, etc. In 2022, it became possible for ordinary households to cultivate, possess, and use it simply by submitting a notification.
The use of medical cannabis was first approved in Southeast Asia, and the region has grown significantly as a medical tourism destination among Southeast Asian countries.
Currently, medical cannabis is often taken orally in the form of oil and is used to treat cancer, psychoneurological conditions, and musculoskeletal pain.
The future medical cannabis market in Thailand
In Thailand, the number of periods and companies cultivating cannabis has been increasing since the 2018 law change. At first, cannabis from overseas was imported and cultivated, but now the country is making a national effort to cultivate cannabis, including the development of Thai-grown cannabis varieties. The government has eased restrictions on cannabis cultivation in order to allow it to enter the global cannabis market and make Thailand and its farmers more prosperous. Foreign companies are also entering the market, and it is expected that more Thai medical cannabis will be exported to other countries in the future.
While the number of medical cannabis users is increasing, the number of recreational cannabis users is also increasing, and the number of cannabis addicts is said to have increased two to four times. In response to this situation, the Thai government has set a policy of limiting the use of cannabis to medical purposes only.
Summary
This article explores the past and present of medical cannabis in Thailand. Cannabis has long been a traditional and familiar part of Thailand, treated as medical, food, and sacred; although it would be regulated in the 20th century, the country became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize medical cannabis in 2018.
Furthermore, in 2022, cannabis cultivation at home was allowed, significantly easing cannabis control regulations. With Thailand’s domestic cannabis cultivation capacity improving, Thai companies are expected to enter the global medical cannabis market in the future. We, Cannatopia Farm, will continue to cultivate and provide high quality and safe cannabis to our customers.