Thailand plans tighter cannabis controls and tougher penalties

Thailand plans to tighten cannabis controls and propose tougher penalties for breaches, while directing officials to inspect licensed businesses and strengthen checks on exports linked to narcotics.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said proposed cannabis-related amendments to the Narcotics Act were discussed at the Office of the Narcotics Control Board’s third meeting of the year on Thursday, 22 October, according to Bernama.

The proposals form part of a wider effort to strengthen drug prevention and enforcement. Anutin said the government would maintain a clear distinction between medical cannabis use and recreational consumption.

Proposed changes follow medical-use draft

“Drug policies must be guided by scientific evidence, facts and the public interest,” Anutin said in a statement published on the Royal Thai Government website, as reported by Bernama.

Thailand decriminalised cannabis in 2022. Concerns about recreational consumption and the rapid expansion of cannabis-related businesses have since prompted moves towards tighter regulation.

On 22 September 2026, the cabinet approved a draft Cannabis and Hemp Act intended to restrict cannabis strictly to medical use and phase out the recreational market. That approval concerned a draft law; it should not be confused with enactment of the proposed restrictions.

The latest announcement concerns proposed amendments to the Narcotics Act. The meeting also discussed changes to drug laws covering possession, including small-quantity offences, with treatment and rehabilitation to be considered alongside legal action.

Licensed businesses face inspections

Anutin said the Ministry of Public Health and relevant agencies had been directed to inspect licensed establishments and take legal action against operators breaching their licence conditions. Those businesses could face licence revocation.

For cannabis operators, the immediate practical issue is compliance with existing licence conditions, alongside the government’s plans for further legal changes. The inspection instruction is separate from the proposals for tougher penalties.

Export compliance also in focus

The prime minister also instructed the Customs Department to increase inspections, intelligence gathering and random checks to prevent illegal exports, particularly goods potentially linked to narcotics.

He said exports of cannabis stems, leaves and flower buds must comply strictly with Thai law. Cannabidiol, or CBD, extracts could be exported subject to licensing requirements and regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration.

For businesses handling cannabis products, the announcement therefore covers both domestic licence compliance and export requirements. The government’s stated direction remains a distinction between medical and recreational use, backed by inspections and proposed changes to the law.