Cabinet approves draft Cannabis and Hemp Act: medical use only
The Thai cabinet endorsed a draft cannabis control bill on 22 September 2026. Shops that are not medical facilities will need to convert when their licences expire between 2026 and 2028.
Thailand's cabinet approved a draft cannabis control bill on 22 September 2026, Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat announced. The government's position is clear: cannabis is for medical use only.
What the draft does
- Controls from seed to sale. The bill would regulate cannabis from cultivation through to retail. Today's rules, made under the herbal medicine law and ministerial regulations, cover sales and processing but not growing.
- Shops become medical facilities. Outlets would need a qualified medical professional on site, and cannabis could only be dispensed against a prescription.
- Gradual change for existing shops. Current shop licences last three years and expire in batches in 2026, 2027 and 2028. Shops can keep trading until their licence runs out. To renew, a shop that is not already a medical facility has to meet the new requirements. The minister estimated that more than half of today's shops would need to convert to stay open.
What it does not do yet
This is a cabinet-approved draft, not a law. It still has to pass through Parliament, and the content can change during committee review. Until it passes, the rules in force are the June 2025 controlled-herb notification and the 2026 ministerial regulations. Our law explainer covers what applies today.
Background
The Ministry of Public Health ran a public consultation on the draft from 22 April to 21 May 2026. In July the minister said the bill had missed that parliamentary session. The September cabinet approval moves it forward again.