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Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Thailand moves to re-criminalise cannabis in blow to $1bn industry
The Thai government is moving to tighten rules around the sale of cannabis, just three years after the kingdom decriminalised recreational use of the popular substance. Thailand's Ministry of Public Health on Tuesday night ordered that cannabis use be restricted to medical use only, throwing the estimated $1bn industry into a state of uncertainty. Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said cannabis had created serious social problems for young people, and the industry, which has boomed in recent years, needed to be scaled back. 'The policy must return to its original goal of controlling cannabis for medical use only,' Jirayu said in a statement. The order, however, is not law yet. It will need to be published in the official Royal Gazette to come into force, and the government has not indicated when that will happen. Thailand became the first country in Asia to fully decriminalise cannabis in 2022, in a move that has been wildly popular with tourists but less so among more conservative Thais. Thousands of cannabis stores have opened across Thailand in the past three years, although it has remained relatively unregulated despite multiple attempts by the government. The latest move to restrict cannabis use comes amid wider political turmoil in Thailand. Last week the Bhumjaithai Party, previously a champion of decriminalising cannabis, withdrew from the government's ruling coalition due to its mishandling of a border conflict with Cambodia. The Thai Chamber of Commerce previously estimated that the cannabis trade could be worth $1.2bn by 2025, although experts say it has not reached its full potential due to the uncertainty that has plagued regulation around the industry since it was decriminalised.
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Qatar warns against video on fake diabetes cure, clarifies man 'not licensed' medic
Qatar's health authorities on Tuesday warned against circulating a misleading video that falsely claims a cure for diabetes has been discovered. In the video, a person claims that he has discovered a cure for diabetes and urges Qataris to contact him. The Gulf country's Ministry of Public Health further warned that this call might be for fraudulent purposes. This person abused his previous role as a trainee assistant in the field of research at a local institution in Qatar to lend weight to his claims, the ministry clarified. "His role was limited to interacting with participants in research studies. He is not a qualified diabetes specialist, nor is he licensed to provide medical consultations," it said, adding that he no longer works in Qatar. Authorities in Qatar urged the public to verify the licence status of any healthcare practitioner in the country through the "Find a Registered Healthcare Practitioner" service available on the Ministry of Public Health's website. Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 830 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority living in low-and middle-income countries. More than half of the people living with diabetes are not receiving treatment. Both the number of people with diabetes and the number of people with untreated diabetes have been steadily increasing over the past decades, the UN body stated. insulin injections, is essential for survival, but it never mentions that any cure exists.
Bloomberg
24-05-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
Surge in Cannabis Smuggling Prompts Thailand to Tighten Rules
Thailand aims to clamp down on easy access to cannabis by mandating medical prescriptions amid rising instances of tourists attempting to smuggle out large quantities of weed. Dispensaries will be allowed to sell cannabis only to those with licenses or with prescriptions from medical professionals, including traditional medicine practitioners, when proposed changes to existing rules take effect in about 40 days. The amount sold will also be limited to 30 days of use, according to the Ministry of Public Health.
