People walk outside the Mary Jane cannabis dispensary next to a pharmacy in Bangkok. — AFPVNA Photo

BANGKOK — A coalition of medical professionals, academics and civil society groups campaigning against narcotics abuse has submitted an open letter to Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat, calling on the ministry to revoke its 2022 ministerial announcement that removed cannabis from the list of Category 5 narcotics.

The letter argues that the shifting cannabis policy over the past six years, from strictly medical use in 2019, to quasi-recreational use under the so-called “medical cannabis liberalisation” policy in 2022, and back to medical control this year, has caused widespread confusion and serious public health concerns.

Under the current framework, only medical cannabis can be sold legally, but recreational smoking and home cultivation remain effectively decriminalised. The network said this blurred distinction has led to an increase in hospitalisations, addiction cases and cannabis-induced psychosis across the country.

New proposals

The open letter was issued in response to three proposals recently submitted to the Health Ministry by pro-cannabis advocates, including allowing cannabis purchases and use without a doctor’s prescription; reducing regulatory inspections and quality control for cannabis cultivation; and removing the requirement for cannabis dispensaries to operate as medical facilities.

The network warned that such measures would turn medical cannabis into de facto recreational use, leading to three major risks: easier access to cannabis for recreational users, protection of growers at the expense of consumer safety, and a resurgence of widespread cannabis shops outside the medical system.

Strict medical regulation

The group argued that the root of the problem lies in the February 8, 2022 ministerial announcement, which removed cannabis from the Narcotics Code, paving the way for the boom in recreational use and related health and social problems.

It urged the Public Health Ministry to propose that the Narcotics Control Board repeal the 2022 order and reinstate cannabis as a tightly regulated medical substance.

“By returning to a structured medical cannabis system, the government can strengthen oversight, eliminate the negative effects of recreational use, and rebuild public confidence in national drug policy,” the statement said. — THE NATION/ANN