On July 6th, 2024, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul responded to the Narcotics Control Board’s proposal to reclassify cannabis and hemp as narcotics.
Anutin reaffirmed Bhumjaithai Party’s stance that cannabis should be used for medical and economic purposes, not for recreation. Anutin questioned the rationale behind this reclassification, as it reverts to a previous status set by the same board during his tenure as Minister of Public Health.
Anutin expressed concerns about the legal implications for community-level cannabis growers and questioned how the Thai government would address the thousands released for cannabis-related offenses in 2022.
