Cannabis Rules in Thailand and Phuket: Medical-Only, Prescriptions and Penalties

The short version

• Recreational use is not legal. Cannabis flower is a controlled herb that may be sold to the public only against a prescription from an authorised practitioner.
• A prescription is reported as valid for no more than 30 days, and the authorities have warned retailers that buds cannot be sold freely.
• Tourists and residents alike are covered, and no casual walk-in sale is allowed.
• Use in public places is banned.
• Importing or exporting cannabis is prohibited, even with a foreign prescription.

The Thai tourism authority has said shops or stalls offering cannabis for smoking to walk-in customers may be operating outside the law, and tourists should not assume anything on public display is legal.

Prescriptions and dispensaries

Law-firm guides describe a prescription form issued by a licensed practitioner, and a set of professions authorised to write it. Dispensaries must follow the prescription, and one law firm notes penalties for dispensaries that do not, including up to a year in prison or a 20,000 baht fine. Advertising and marketing of cannabis flowers and smoking accessories has been banned or is being banned.

Thousands of dispensaries closed or lost their licences in 2025 and 2026, and a government online tracker has been reported for checking whether a shop is currently licensed. Phuket's dispensaries are subject to the same rules as Bangkok's, and enforcement intensity varies.

Penalties and practical risks

• One legal guide gives up to 25,000 baht and up to three months in prison for public consumption, and other sources quote different fines, so treat all figures as indicative.
• Customs set heavy fines for cannabis found at the border, with a per-kilogram rate reported from June 2026, plus forfeiture.
• Foreigners risk arrest, fines, visa cancellation and removal, and the immigration consequences can outlast the criminal ones.
• Smell and smoke in rented homes can breach tenancy rules and upset neighbours. See the renting guide.

If you are stopped by the police, stay calm and ask for your embassy. The legal help guide explains how to find a lawyer.

CBD and medical users

CBD products with very low THC, reported as under 0.2 percent, remain permitted in the sources, but labelling and sellers vary, so be careful. If you use medical cannabis at home, do not bring it into Thailand, and see a Thai doctor about a legal prescription instead. The guide to pharmacies and bringing medicine explains the rules for other controlled medicines.

Check your travel and health insurance for exclusions that apply to drugs or illegal acts. See the health and insurance guide.

Driving, work and visas

Driving after using cannabis is an offence, and insurers may refuse to pay. Employers and schools may test or dismiss staff, and the visa guides explain that immigration can refuse visas and extensions for criminal records. Read the driving guide and the alcohol and nightlife guide for related rules, and keep up with the news section for changes.