Thailand’s new government is moving ahead to pass new legisalation banning cannabis for recreational use in a major reversal 18 months after the country became the first in Asia to decriminalize the plant.

The relaxed laws saw a lucrative cannabis industry catering to locals and foreigners alike boom across the Southeast Asian nation, but a new conservative coalition government came to power late last year vowing to tighten the rules and only allow medical use.

A draft bill was released on Tuesday by Thailand’s health ministry outlining hefty fines or prison sentences of up to one year for offenders – or both.

  • otp@sh.itjust.works
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    11 months ago

    And tobacco.

    I think the idea is that they can’t fight a war on those drugs since they’re already there, but they can still win against the others by keeping them out.

    It helps when you have relatively tight borders and your neighbours agree.

    • Rediphile@lemmy.ca
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      11 months ago

      I smoked weed in Thailand as a 15 year old in like 2006 lol. It’s always been there and always will be.

      I’ve also smoked hash in Saudi Arabia. I have yet to find a single country in which I could not find cannabis in if around for more than a week or two. Literally no one has ever won the war on drugs or even come close.

      • otp@sh.itjust.works
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        11 months ago

        I’m not saying it doesn’t exist, but it’s not as easy to find as it is in Canada, for instance…I’d imagine, lol

        And weed is one thing, but it might be harder to find other drugs. Thailand might be different, but I’m thinking of places like Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc…not non-existent, but harder to find than in some other places.