Asia: Market and legal data analysis of the cannabis sector

14th May 2024: Thailand: Health minister Somsak Thepsuthin said the Ministry of Public Health will move to place cannabis back on the list of category 5 narcotics but as a “soft drug”, press reports. “Please understand that a soft drug is not completely prohibited,” said Somsak. “The regulations will aim to prevent harm from misuse as well as use by children, according to the government’s policy.” He added that the ministry hopes to complete the move by the end of the year.
9th May 2024: Thailand: A day after new health minister Somsak Thepsuthin said that he was seeking opinions on how to regulate cannabis, prime minister Srettha Thavisin said that he has urged the Ministry of Public Health to re-list cannabis as a narcotic. Srettha said on X: “I would like to ask the Ministry of Public Health to amend the ministry announcement by bringing marijuana back to category 5 drugs and hasten to issue ministerial regulations allowing its use for medical and health purposes only.” Srettha has sought to ban recreational use since he was appointed but has not been successful so far. In September 2023, Srettha vowed to ban recreational use within six months, though little tangible progress has been made in the seven months since.
8th May 2024: Thailand: Newly-appointed health minister Somsak Thepsuthin is seeking input from others on how to regulate cannabis and says that a final decision has not been made on whether to push for recriminalising cannabis, press reports. This stance is a departure from his predecessor, Cholnan Srikaew, who was pushing legislation to strictly limit cannabis to medical use. Cholnan was removed as health minister and replaced by Somsak on 28th April.
29th April 2024: Thailand: Yesterday (28th April), health minister Cholnan Srikaew was dismissed from the cabinet, press reports. Srikaew was a supporter of the recreational cannabis ban and wanted to pass a law soon to ensure that cannabis is only used for medical purposes. Srikaew will be replaced by Somsak Thepsuthin, who was justice minister when recreational cannabis was legalised in 2022.
18th April 2024: Israel: The Medical Cannabis Unit has updated Procedure 110, which sets out guidelines for the process of approving medical cannabis export licence applications. To get a licence, exporters are now required to obtain an “export permit” from the Customs Administration as well as an “export licence of dangerous drugs” from the Import-Export Department at the Medical Cannabis Unit by email to import-export.yakar@moh.gov.il.
5th April 2024: Thailand: Contrary to the stances recently expressed by the prime minister and health minister, deputy prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a public statement that he supports the regulated use of cannabis. He voiced his agreement with the government’s existing policy, which allows the use of cannabis for recreational and medical purposes, press reports. Charnvirakul emphasised that rescheduling cannabis would require changes to the current regulations and would also require compensation for companies that have invested in the cannabis business in good faith.
5th April 2024: Armenia: The Ministry of Health is proposing bylaws to specify legal rules for the destruction of industrial hemp, media reports.
3rd April 2024: Thailand: Health minister Cholnan Srikaew has said the government will soon pass a law to ensure cannabis is used only for medical purposes, press reports. This was reportedly an attempt to correct prime minister Srettha Thavisin, who recently said that his government would put cannabis back on the list of narcotics. The health minister said the bill regulating the medical use of cannabis had been drafted and would soon be submitted to the cabinet for consideration.
4th March 2024: Pakistan: The president of Pakistan, Arif Alvi, has approved the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Ordinance 2024. The ordinance establishes the creation of the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority, which will be in charge of issuing regulations under government guidance detailing how the cultivation, production and sale of hemp and medical cannabis can be carried out.
21st February 2024: Thailand: Health minister Cholnan Srikaew told the media that the government hopes to ban the recreational use of cannabis by the end of the year. He said that a draft bill to restrict the use of cannabis to only for medical purposes could be passed by the cabinet next month and then passed by the lower house by the end of October, when its legislative session ends.
14th February 2024: Thailand: Amid industry backlash, the draft bill to ban recreational cannabis use has been delayed to seek opinions from other parties, press reports. The bill was set to be introduced to the cabinet on Tuesday (13th February), but health minister Cholnan Srikaew said that it was not introduced as more time was needed. Many cannabis operators are reportedly threatening to sue if the bill is passed.

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