Thailand’s Cabinet approved a bill limiting cannabis to medical use; it now goes to the House of Representatives. The bill would let existing dispensaries keep current licenses through 2028; nonmedical shops would need to meet new rules to renew.
The bill would require three-year licenses for cultivating, producing, selling, importing and exporting cannabis flowers and extracts. Roots, stems, branches, leaves and seeds could be sold without a license if intended for medical treatment. It would permit sales for treatment to people over 20 by licensed practitioners, allow medical research, require cultivators to register their sites and ban advertising.
The bill would impose criminal penalties and fines for illegal production, imports, exports and sales, while stating that cannabis abusers would face fines only. Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat said more than 10,000 shops and cultivation sites are in a government tracking system and premises outside it should be presumed to be operating illegally; authorities are set to step up inspections. Thailand decriminalized cannabis in 2022; estimates put first-year industry revenue at about 28 billion baht ($865 million). The country recorded 18,433 cannabis outlets in late December 2025.
