Thailand has become the first country in Asia to take marijuana off its list of banned substances and to allow people to grow the plant at home.
Key points:
- Thailand’s government is keen to promote marijuana as a cash crop
- As the change is aimed at allowing cannabis in traditional medicine and cooking, recreational use remains a grey area
- The global legal cannabis market is expected to be worth $175.5 billion by 2028
It’s a major policy shift in a country long known for its harsh drug controls, but the Thai government hopes the law change will boost the wellness and tourism industries.
In January this year, Thai authorities announced they were dropping cannabis from the official list of controlled substances, resulting in what some have described as de facto decriminalisation.
Some 4,000 prisoners serving jail time for cannabis-related crimes will soon be released and their criminal…
