Thai Government Could Face ‘Thousands’ of Lawsuits Over Cannabis Policy Reversal
As Thailand’s authorities considers rolling again its historic hashish decriminalization reforms from two years in the past, trade insiders say that hashish entrepreneurs and operators within the nation are readying lawsuits to guard their livelihoods, This Week in Asia stories.
The litigation risk comes after Thailand’s well being minister rolled out laws earlier this 12 months that will successfully outlaw leisure hashish consumption — implementing strict felony penalties and banning hashish merchandise with a THC stage above 0.2% — and goals to refocus the nation’s reforms round medical use solely.
The brand new Hashish and Hemp Act has but to be thought-about by lawmakers, who selected to not tackle the difficulty throughout their weekly assembly on Tuesday, the report stated. However hashish operators and buyers are actually involved concerning the proposal: “Everyone seems to be speaking to legal professionals,” hashish dispensary proprietor Soranut “Beer” Masayavanich instructed This Week in Asia.
Benjamin Baskins, CEO of OG Cannab, which operates a number of dispensaries in high-tourism areas of Bangkok, stated he expects lawmakers would want to make vital modifications to the proposal if it have been to maneuver ahead. “It’s arduous to even take critically,” he stated.
“They’re going to have so many lawsuits. How are they going to cope with 7,000 lawsuits from dispensaries, and 1000’s extra from growers?” — Baskins, through This Week in Asia
Hashish advocates argue that lawmakers ought to search to make modifications to the proposal that acknowledge and regulate — somewhat than get rid of — the nation’s nascent however booming hashish trade.
The College of the Thai Chamber of Commerce estimated that Thailand‘s hashish trade was price practically USD$800 million by the top of 2022 — solely six months after the nation’s decriminalization coverage took impact — and will attain USD$1.2 billion by 2025, the report stated.
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