Cannabis shops in Thailand may sell cannabis flower only to buyers with a prescription, under a Ministry of Public Health notice in force since 26 June 2025. On 22 September 2026, the Cabinet approved a draft Cannabis Control Act that would tighten the rules further. Shops that are not medical facilities would have to change their business if they want to renew their licences, according to the Public Health Minister.
The rules affect shop owners holding three-year licences and anyone who buys cannabis from a local shop, including residents and visitors. The report does not mention any exemption for foreign buyers. This article separates what is already enforced from what is still only a draft.
What the current rules require
The rule in force is the Ministry of Public Health notice on controlled herbs (cannabis) of 2025, which took effect on 26 June 2025. It replaced the 2022 version. It covers only the flower. Other parts of the plant are outside this notice. Anyone selling flower needs a licence under Section 46, and existing licence holders must also follow the new conditions.
Sales and processing are allowed only between licence holders, except for dispensing to patients with a prescription. Raw material must come from sources certified under Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) by the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine. Operators must keep records of sources, use and stock on hand, and report them to the registrar. Exports must be notified to the licensing authority each time.
Buyers need a prescription from a designated health professional, such as a doctor, Thai traditional medicine practitioner, pharmacist or dentist, for treating their own patients. The quantity must not exceed what treatment requires, and a prescription is valid for no more than 30 days. Shops must check the prescription before selling. A buyer without one cannot buy flower.
What the notice bans
- Sales for smoking on the premises, except by health professionals treating their own patients.
- Sales through vending machines.
- Sales through electronic channels or computer networks.
- Advertising for commercial purposes through any channel.
- Sales in temples or places of religious ceremony, dormitories, public parks, zoos and amusement parks.
Shops that sold openly in the past must change how they operate. Online and vending machine sales cannot continue. Shops that keep selling must keep prescriptions and complete records, because they must report to the registrar.
What the draft Cannabis Control Act would change
After the Cabinet approved the draft, the Public Health Minister said cannabis is currently for medical use only. The draft would regulate the plant from the growing site onward. Plots of every size, small, medium and large, would have to be registered so authorities can track locations and control quality. It would also cover extraction and use of the flower. The draft sets clearer and heavier penalties than the current Act.
The clearest effect on shops is licensing. The minister said shops holding the old three-year licences will see them expire gradually between 2026 and 2028. A shop that is not a medical facility and wants to renew must convert to a medical facility under the new regulations. That requires a doctor on staff, and any cannabis dispensed must come with a prescription signed by a doctor.
For patients, this means they may eventually have to buy cannabis from medical facilities with a prescription. If a nearby shop does not adapt, they may need to go elsewhere. The ministry has not said how many medical facilities dispensing cannabis there will be in each area.
The draft is not yet law
The draft has Cabinet approval, and the minister said it will go to the House of Representatives for consideration. It is not law yet. Until then, operators and buyers must follow the 2025 notice described above.
The ministry said an application lets people check shop and growing site locations, with more than 10,000 sites recorded. The minister estimated this covers about 95%. A shop not in the system is considered illegal. The ministry will send teams to inspect shops that are open, focusing on tourist towns and major cities. The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine will give details on control and inspections later.
Shop owners should check the expiry date on their current licence and watch for Department announcements on the conditions for becoming a medical facility. Patients who use cannabis should consult a doctor or pharmacist before starting or changing treatment. Visitors who are unsure whether they can buy should ask the shop or the Department directly.
Source: Ministry of Public Health notice on controlled herbs (cannabis) of 2025, published in the Royal Gazette, and the Public Health Minister's statement after the Cabinet approved the draft Cannabis Control Act.
This article is adapted from ViewNews' Thai-language report.
