The Public Health Ministry is set to introduce a new ministerial regulation aimed at enhancing the control over the production, import, export, sale, and possession of cannabis and hemp extracts.
Pol Lt Gen Phanurat Lukboon, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), announced on Wednesday that the cabinet approved the draft regulation in principle on Tuesday. This regulation pertains to the management of cannabis and hemp extracts, which are classified as Type 5 narcotics.
Proposed by the Public Health Ministry, this draft will be reviewed by the Council of State, the government’s legal advisory body, prior to its issuance under the Narcotics Code, according to Pol Lt Gen Phanurat.
The new regulation will establish guidelines for applying for, obtaining, and renewing licenses, as well as set the associated fees for the production, import, export, sale, and possession of cannabis and hemp extracts for medical, commercial, industrial, scientific research, and anti-drug operations.
Once the regulation is in effect, individuals who engage in these activities without a valid license could face a prison sentence of up to five years and/or a fine of up to 500,000 baht.
Those using the extracts for commercial purposes without a license—especially if this leads to widespread usage or sales to individuals under 18—will face even stricter penalties, including a prison term of up to 15 years and/or fines of up to 1.5 million baht, Pol Lt Gen Phanurat added.
On Monday, the ONCB secretary-general met with British Ambassador Mark Gooding to discuss strategies for combating cannabis smuggling from Thailand to the UK. The meeting included representatives from the Royal Thai Police, the Customs Department, and Airports of Thailand (AoT).
The British ambassador noted that over 200 smugglers from Thailand have been apprehended in the UK this year, expressing concerns about the influence of transnational criminal networks.
Justice Minister Pol Col Tawee Sodsong has directed the ONCB to collaborate with the UK’s National Crime Agency to exchange information and conduct training programs for AoT personnel in drug analysis.