Cannabis And Hemp Business Guide – Thailand

Introduction

Cannabis and hemp have been classified as category 5 narcotics under the Narcotics Act since 1979. All activities related to the plants and their derivatives had been heavily restricted until the recent rise of the movement for the legalization of cannabis for medical purposes—its first milestone being Amendment (No. 7) to the Narcotics Act, effective February 19, 2019.

Most of the product classifications discussed here are based upon the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content, and upon the presence of cannabidiol (CBD) in the products. Generally speaking, THC is a psychoactive substance with fewer medical applications, while CBD is not psychotropic and has more medical applications. A higher THC content is therefore associated with a greater risk of abuse, and thus stricter regulations apply. Under the most recent legal amendments, Thai law defines cannabis as in the Cannabis sativa L. subsp. indica, and hemp as Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa having