Leading Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) figure Supachai Jaisamut has called for the urgent enactment of a cannabis control bill, criticising Pheu Thai Party's Ministry of Public Health for perceived negligence in regulating cannabis, leading to its widespread availability and escalating problems.
Mr Supachai recently reiterated that his party has supported cannabis use solely for medical purposes since 2019. He noted that delisting cannabis from the Narcotics Code BE 2564 received parliamentary approval, including votes from Pheu Thai members.
The BJT previously proposed the Cannabis-Hemp Bill, which was derailed by political manoeuvres and the dissolution of parliament by the then-prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. However, the party resubmitted the bill to the current parliament.
Concurrently, the Public Health Ministry submitted a similar draft to the cabinet, but it has remained stalled.
According to Mr Supachai, the absence of specific legislation has forced the ministry to rely on insufficient existing laws to regulate cannabis, leading to widespread violations.
He cited the proliferation of illegal cannabis shops due to lax oversight of licence issuance by the Public Health Ministry and alleged that the agency has been profiting from issuing cannabis shop licences, leading to an abundance of outlets.
The BJT urged crackdowns on illegal shops and called on the ministry to expedite the cabinet's submission of the Cannabis-Hemp Bill to the House of Representatives.
Mr Supachai also questioned why the ministry, which is under Pheu Thai's supervision, has allowed the problem to spiral out of control before taking action.
In response, Pheu Thai list-MP Rinthipond Varinvatchararoj argued that Mr Supachai's eagerness to be in opposition has led him to forget past events, particularly the BJT's role in legalising cannabis during Gen Prayut's administration.
She emphasised Pheu Thai's consistent stance against recreational cannabis, advocating only for strictly controlled medical use, while highlighting the BJT's disagreement over amending ministerial regulations to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic.
According to Ms Rinthipond, the government is actively working to close the regulatory loopholes left by the BJT.
"I understand that Mr Supachai may be concerned about the current impact of cannabis, but I ask him to review his party's past role and consider who opened this door without adequate safeguards," she said.
