In what has been termed the dope wars by local media the rules surrounding cannabis within Thailand are far from organised.
After being removed from the narcotics list in the nation and thereby becoming decriminalised but the lack of certainty around the laws are leaving businesses in limbo.
Further laws and regulation are currently being debated by the countries parliament known as the Cannabis and Hemp Act.
While these laws are yet to be enacted there has been confusion from the public over what is allowed. Many have believed that they are free to use cannabis anywhere, yet this is not the case.
The new rules could also harm small local businesses aiming to capitalise on cannabis. Under the draft of the law cannabis businesses will need approval from the FDA and the office of the Narcotics Control Board. This, it is anticipated, will allow only the so-called “big fish” to survive.
There are also fears that allowing people to grow cannabis themselves will harm the farming industry of the plant as this could then lead to a lack of buyers.
The divide over how to proceed continues with certain members feeling that the bill offers little to stop improper use of the plant such as overuse, this is a particularly prevalent fear for some in relation to the youth of the nation.
How the nation will handle the tourism side of the industry is still largely unknown. Recent reports from the Health Minister were that tourists seeking cannabis in the nation are not welcome.
Clearly there is still plenty of debate and much work to do in Thailand until they find a solution for their new cannabis industry.
