The Public Health Ministry’s regulation requiring a prescription to purchase cannabis buds for medical use has triggered an outcry.

Pro-cannabis groups, particularly the Network for Writing Thailand’s Cannabis Future, are against the regulation which went into effect last week, claiming it is politically motivated and that it could be part of the plan to re-list cannabis as narcotic drug.

Limited use, they argued, will lead to a monopoly in production by big businesses.

There are grounds for their allegations as Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin took a particularly stiff line after Bhumjaithai, known for its cannabis advocacy policy, withdrew from the Pheu Thai-led coalition government recently.

All of a sudden, the health ministry kicked off cannabis crackdowns.

Advocates have been quick to point out possible shortcomings of the regulation, including the cancellation of previous prohibitions on selling cannabis to those under 20 or to students, allowing them to make purchases if they have a medical certificate.

Moreover, they are concerned the ministry will eventually grant decision-making power on cannabis use to a group of so-called experts who might be subject to influence-peddling.

Mr Somsak initially vowed cannabis re-listing would happen in 45 days. Yet strong resistance from the cannabis industry and advocates prompted him to soften his stance.

He agreed to remove the deadline, mentioning, albeit vaguely, that he would push for re-listing “if the people want it”.

The ministry has encouraged the public to give anti-cannabis input, so the government can return to square one: re-listing it as narcotic.

However, the advocates have dismissed Mr Somsak’s concerns.

They are demanding the minister drop the regulation and instead roll the legislation back to that issued by the Prayut Chan-o-cha government.

Advocates say that old version, with fewer loopholes, would be a more acceptable choice while the country awaits a new law governing cannabis use.

The new regulation is issued under the Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medicine Knowledge Act 1999, and replaces the 2022 announcement, which classified cannabis as a controlled herb without specifying any particular part of the plant.

The latest version, however, says only the buds of cannabis are subject to regulation.

With the regulation in place, cannabis shops cannot sell products to customers who do not have a prescription, which can be issued by either traditional medicine practitioners or modern medicine doctors.

A patient suffering any of the 15 diseases, cancer, Parkinson’s, insomnia, for instance, can ask for the prescription.

The advocates reiterate the need for a strong and comprehensive cannabis control law.

On June 9, they staged a rally, calling for the government to stop foot-dragging, and quickly send all the bills to parliament so that lawmakers could start vetting them.

Indeed, June 9 is symbolic as it was the day when the Prayut government decriminalised cannabis, removing the plant from narcotic list in year 2022, and is known among the advocates as Cannabis Day.

Without such a law, there is a big gap in cannabis regulations and, as a result, cannabis will be misused.

A case in point is a weed shop in Khon Kaen that illegally sold cannabis to minors.

During a raid last week, the authorities found one customer was a school student, just 13 years old.

Needless to say, there are similar shops like the one in Khon Kaen up and down the country.

Activist Prasitchai Nunual, a leading cannabis campaigner, insisted cannabis must be accessible to all, but at the same time, measures must be introduced to protect children.

One of the bills proposed by the network would address all such concerns about the herb, it says.

Mr Prasitchai is right. Without a comprehensive law, cannabis will go back underground and regulating it will be next to impossible.

Unfortunately, Mr Somsak and the government have decided to turn a deaf ear to the calls for a more moderate approach to cannabis control law.

Mr Somsak must review his stance, while paying heed to the advocates’ demands, and stop politicising cannabis which is of no benefit to anyone.

On the contrary, the law we have is already a good one and the best answer so far to the cannabis dilemma.