Most of the shops now operating in the country will not be able to meet the strict new requirements, said Dr Somlerk Jeungsmarn, chief of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine.
The ministry is moving ahead quickly with new restrictions to ensure that only medical use of cannabis will be allowed, backed by standardised prescriptions, reports the Bangkok Post. The transformation is expected to be completed by the end of this year, said Dr Thanakrit Jitareerat, an assistant to Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin.
He was responding to concerns expressed by cannabis advocacy networks, saying cannabis usage has increased tenfold to 1.5 million users since it was decriminalised in June 2022, prompting new control measures.
Decriminalisation took place in the absence of a law to regulate cannabis, leading to an explosion in recreational use. But advocates have questioned how authorities expect to restructure the US1billion business in practical terms.
The Controlled Herbs Announcement (Cannabis) BE 2568, issued on June 26, requires anyone wanting cannabis for medical use to obtain a prescription from a licensed member of one of seven authorised medical professions.
Shops must use the standard Phor Thor 33 prescription form, the same one approved for all health providers nationwide, and submit monthly sales and prescription records, starting in July.
The ministry is also exploring ways to integrate telemedicine in order to improve access to doctors for people seeking cannabis prescriptions, he said.
Production and Quality Standards
Cannabis must meet strict standards with minimal heavy metals, pesticides, microorganisms and fungi in order to protect consumers.
Currently, 69 GACP-certified (Good Agricultural and Collection Practices) cultivation plots nationwide can produce 71,850 kilogrammes of dried cannabis flowers annually, with 24,000kg exported and more than 40,000kg for domestic use.
Growers with 51 additional plots are awaiting certification to boost production to 125,000kg yearly.
Dr Somlerk said clinics would be allowed to stock only cannabis from a plantation source that has been certified to ensure appropriate levels of CBD and THC.
Medical Training and Staffing
Doctor training begins on July 16, with 2,000 physicians expected to complete courses. That would create a ratio of about one doctor per 10 cannabis shops based on the current number of establishments, which led Dr Somlerk to conclude that most shops would have to close.
Cannabis shop staff training starts on July 17, expecting 100,000 participants.
Authorities have inspected 1,565 shops since the announcement, resulting in 82 licence suspensions, five revocations, 322 closures and seven prosecutions.