Thailand reclassifies cannabis bud as a controlled herb, restricts sales and advertising

Licensees must report the source, usage, and inventory of cannabis products to the relevant authorities.Exporters must notify the licensing authority of each export transaction.Retailers and processors may only sell cannabis to licensed recipients under Section 46.All cannabis sold must come from certified sources with approved cultivation and harvesting standards.Sales of cannabis for smoking in business establishments are prohibited unless for use by certified medical professionals.Cannabis may not be sold via vending machines or online platforms.Cannabis advertising for commercial purposes is prohibited across all platforms.Sales are banned at places of worship, dormitories, public parks, zoos, and amusement parks.

However, the sale of cannabis for medical purposes remains permitted if prescribed by licensed medical practitioners. These include medical professionals as defined by the Medical Profession Act, Thai traditional medicine practitioners, integrated Thai traditional medicine practitioners, and folk doctors under the Thai Traditional Medicine Profession Act, Chinese medicine practitioners under the Medical Profession Act, pharmacists under the Pharmacy Profession Act, and dentists under the Dentistry Profession Act.

The new regulation also mandates that businesses licensed prior to the announcement must comply with the updated rules for cannabis control.