The Next Chapter of Cannabis Regulation in Thailand with Rasmon KalayasiriThe Next Chapter of Cannabis Regulation in Thailand with Rasmon Kalayasiri
Addiction Audio
Dr Elle Wadsworth speaks with Professor Rasmon Kalayasiri about Thailand’s rapid shifts in cannabis policy, from medical use to a commercial market and back to a medical model. They discuss public health concerns, political debates, research gaps and what other countries might learn from Thailand’s experience.
18:44•17 Jul 2026
Thailand’s Cannabis U-Turn: From Commercial Boom to Medical Control
Episode Overview
- Thailand moved from medical cannabis (2019) to a commercial non-medical market (2022) and then back to a tighter medical prescription model (2025–2026).
- The rapid expansion of dispensaries and products outpaced regulation, raising concerns about product standards, advertising, monitoring and enforcement.
- Policy reversal was driven by worries about youth access, public consumption and a perception that commercialisation had grown faster than public health safeguards.
- Researchers are seen as crucial for providing evidence on patterns of use, benefits, harms, mental health outcomes and economic impacts, especially during rapid policy changes.
- Rasmon emphasises that cannabis policy is an ongoing process, and that evidence-based regulation is essential to reduce harms while allowing potential benefits.
“Thailand's cannabis policy has undergone one of the most rapid and dramatic transformations seen anywhere in the world.”
What insights can experts and survivors share about addiction? Here, the focus shifts from alcohol to cannabis, as Thailand’s dramatic policy shifts take centre stage. Dr Elle Wadsworth chats with Professor Rasmon Kalayasiri from Chulalongkorn University about Thailand’s rapid journey from strict medical cannabis laws, to a booming non-medical market, and back again to a medical prescription model.
Rasmon explains that, “Thailand's cannabis policy has undergone one of the most rapid and dramatic transformations seen anywhere in the world,” and breaks down what that has meant on the ground. You’ll hear how removing cannabis from the narcotics list in 2022 led to thousands of dispensaries, a wide range of products, and cannabis woven into tourism and lifestyle culture.
Rasmon describes how “commercial activity expanded rapidly while key issues such as product standards, advertising restrictions, public health monitoring and enforcement mechanisms were still evolving,” setting the scene for a political and public health backlash. The conversation moves to why Thailand reversed course in 2025: worries about youth use, public consumption, and a regulatory system that couldn’t keep up.
Rasmon stresses that the debate isn’t just about legal versus illegal, but “about how cannabis should be regulated, who should have access, and what role commercial interests should play.” For anyone interested in addiction, policy, or public health, this episode digs into data gaps too. Rasmon highlights the urgent need for better monitoring of patterns of use, mental health outcomes such as psychotic and anxiety disorders, and healthcare presentations linked to cannabis.
She also points to Thailand’s experience as a chance for other countries to learn from both the harms and benefits at each stage of legal change. If you’re curious about how evidence, politics, and public health collide in drug policy, this conversation offers plenty to think about. How might these lessons shape your view on cannabis regulation in your own context?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.