Thailand Takes A U-Turn On Weed, Spain's Health Minister On MMJ Reform And More Global Cannabis Updates

Thailand Takes A U-Turn On Weed As New Government Aims To Enforce Recreational Use Ban

Thailand regulated the medical use of cannabis in 2018 and decriminalized marijuana in June 2022, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to do so and third in the world after Canada and Uruguay. Since then, cannabis stores have proliferated nationwide, due to a lack of regulations.

Now, the country's new government that took office in early Sept., nearly four months after the country's general election, has introduced a measure to ban the recreational use of cannabis, reported Thai Examiner.

Over the weekend, Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew officially signed a bill to modify the existing cannabis legislation.

The new measure would support law enforcement in the prosecution of individuals who use cannabis recreationally.

Once the proposed law receives the green light from the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, it will then be presented to the House of Representatives for their assessment and deliberation.

Spain’s Health Minister Signals Breakthrough On Medical Cannabis Regulation

Mónica García Gómez, recently appointed the Minister of Health, reaffirmed her commitment to revive the government’s long-awaited efforts in regulating medical cannabis, reported Business of Cannabis.

Spain’s medical marijuana regulation has been repeatedly delayed. García Gómez has been collaborating with the management team of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) to discuss a preliminary framework for regulation outlined in the draft Ministerial Order assigned to the agency in 2022.

The draft has allegedly been sent to the Ministry of Health, which has stated its commitment to conducting meetings with organizations directly involved in addressing this issue, with a focus on the Spanish Observatory of Medicinal Cannabis (OECM).

Carola Pérez, OECM's president, praised García Gómez's efforts.

"This is the first time we have heard this from the Spanish government," Pérez said. "She insisted the government was going to do this quickly, and they are going to consult with patients and experts. The previous government made promises, but we knew they were not going to do anything. Now we believe that it's going to happen. This is different."

Australians Overwhelmingly Support Cultivation And Decriminalization Of Cannabis

A measure introduced this past November in the New South Wales Parliament would allow the cultivation of up to six plants for use and sharing them with friends and is supported by a majority of Australians.

More precisely, 50% of those participated in a recent YouGov survey conducted between December 1 – 5 2023 with a sample of 1,555 participants. Thirty-one percent of those asked opposed the policy change, while, 19% were undecided.

Australians were more in favor decriminalizating of cannabis for personal use, 54% versus 33%, who opposed it.

The cultivation bill and decriminalization of cannabis garnered the highest support from Australians between the ages of 18 and 24, with the support dropping in an older population, with 54% of 25-34 year-olds in favor, compared to 53% of 25 to 49-year-olds, 46% of 50-65-year-olds and 44% of those 65 and older.

The concept of decriminalizing cannabis gained more support from different age groups. For the age group of 18-24, 66% were in favor of decriminalizing marijuana in their state, and this sentiment was echoed even more by 25-34-year-olds at 67%. A majority of 63% of 35-49-year-olds also supported the proposition, as did 54% of individuals aged 50-64.

Health Canada Reports 44% YoY Increase In Marijuana Destruction

Canadian cannabis producers have destroyed 611.7 million grams of unpackaged weed, marking a 44% increase from the 425.3 million grams destroyed the previous year, reported Marijuana Business Daily, citing Health Canada data.

In previous years, the trend to destroy marijuana crops was fueled by the buildout of more production capacity than the industry needed in the years following full legalization in October 2018.

Approximately 3.8 billion grams, totaling about 16% of the overall production, went up in smoke in 2022. According to data from Health Canada, license holders destroyed an additional 265 million grams of marijuana in the first half of 2023.

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