Law regarding cannabis: the overseas experience

Abstract

         The legal status of cannabis has always been a debatable issue as many countries have legalised it and allow the consumption of cannabis whether for recreation purpose or for medical treatment, contrary, many countries still regarded cannabis as illegal drug. Thailand had recently amended the law regarding cannabis, thus, it is now legal to use cannabis for research and treatment purposes within a restriction of the law. Consequently, there also has been a trend to ask for the legalising cannabis in Thailand. Nonetheless, considering or changing legal status of the cannabis is a challenging issue and concerns each country policy and viewpoint regarding it. This is because cannabis has substances which could affect brain’s functioning, although its effect might be slightly milder than other illicit drugs, and at the same time, cannabis still has a medical beneficial. Currently, the legal status of cannabis could be divided into 4 categories; 1. Countries where cannabis is fully legalised 2. Countries where cannabis is considered illicit drug but there is some exception of using it 3. Countries where cannabis is considered illicit drug but there is an exception if it is being used for research and medical purposes and 4. Countries where cannabis is completely considered as illicit drug.  Hence, this article aims to conduct a comparative study by analysing the law of selected countries which fall within the above categories and compare them with current Thai law on cannabis, making some suggestions on the overseas law in order to benefit further development of Thai law on cannabis.