Bangkok. Thailand is tightening its control of cannabis, banning sales to individuals without a prescription just three years after becoming the first country in Asia to decriminalize the drug.

The 2022 decriminalization initially boosted tourism and agriculture and led to the proliferation of thousands of cannabis shops across the country. However, a growing public backlash over concerns about under-regulation, especially regarding access for minors and rising addiction rates, has prompted the government to act.

Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin signed an order Monday prohibiting cannabis sales without a medical prescription. The directive also seeks to reclassify cannabis buds as a controlled herb.

Phanurat Lukboon, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, said Wednesday that his agency is prepared to study and implement the new regulations.

The order will take effect once it is published in the Royal Gazette, though the timing remains uncertain.

The ruling Pheu Thai Party had previously pledged to recriminalize cannabis, but that initiative faced opposition from the Bhumjaithai Party, a former coalition partner that championed decriminalization. Bhumjaithai withdrew from the coalition last week following the leak of a phone call between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

Somsak said Tuesday he would like to eventually relist cannabis as a narcotic. His comments follow a government report last month showing a surge in cannabis smuggling cases involving foreign tourists.

Phanurat noted that a study conducted by his agency last year found a significant rise in cannabis addiction following decriminalization.

Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said in a statement Tuesday that the Health Ministry was ordered to tighten controls because “many shops opened to sell cannabis both for recreational and medical purposes, allowing easy access for children and the general public, which contradicts the government’s purpose to crack down on drugs.”

A coalition of cannabis advocates responded Wednesday, calling the new regulations politically motivated. The group announced plans to rally at the Health Ministry next month to oppose the restrictions and the potential re-criminalization of cannabis use and sales.

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