101 EAST: Thailand’s Cannabis Revolution

Governments led by their military have a reputation for their heavy-handedness, and Thailand’s government is no different. To deal with the trading of illicit narcotics, harsh prison sentences were handed down to anyone caught with high-class drugs.

Unfortunately, cannabis fell under the same schedule 5 class as heroin and opioids. For smoking a blunt, you could get ten years in prison. The new laws raised Thailand’s incarceration rate per capita to the fourth highest in the world (541 per 100,000).

Understandably, it came as a surprise when the Thailand government announced that it would be legalizing and promoting the cannabis trade. If you follow the regulations, you’ll be allowed to grow, study, develop and sell cannabis oils for medicinal use.

The government and lobbyists have touted cannabis as everything from a path out of poverty to a miracle drug. 101 East explores the different approaches and attitudes people have to the fledgeling cannabis market and what it could mean for the country’s future.

Friday at 11:30 AM on Aljazeera (ch 257) from Friday, 21 May
Saturday, 22 May at 5:30 AM | Sunday, 23 May at 6:30 PM | Monday, 24 May at 7:30 AM