Thai medical weed ads on the way

A still image from an American TV commercial for medical marijuana harkens to its popularity among that nation’s founding fathers. Image: MedMen / YouTube

By Coconuts Bangkok

Jun 19, 2019 | 12:49pm Bangkok time

Watch out Thailand, medical marijuana took a big step toward being marketed openly yesterday.

Advertising guidelines for medical marijuana purveyors were approved Tuesday afternoon by the interim cabinet to clear the way for legal marketing.

Anyone thinking of rushing out signs for their home dispensary should hold their horses – licenses will only be granted to relevant medical professionals including dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians and traditional Thai healers who meet required criteria, according to spokesman Col. Athit Chaiyanuwat of the Prime Minister’s Office.

Under the rules proposed by health officials, providers must get their stock approved by the Food and Drug Administration before applying for a license. Extensive paperwork must be documented and each applicant’s qualifications will be examined.

The regulations apply to all forms of marketing, from print to video, but does not yet enumerate platform-specific limitations to time, place and manner. Still, expect regulations at least as stringent as those applied to alcohol in the kingdom.

Approved advertisers must list their license number with every ad, no matter the medium. If at any point the applicant changes any aspect of their products – such as strains, formulas or import agreements – they must re-apply through the entire process again to obtain a new license.

On Christmas Day, Thailand became the very first Southeast Asian nation to legalize medical marijuana. The government said it wanted the law to be its New Year’s gift to the people.

Last year, Coconuts TV produced a docu-series – now available exclusively on Netflix – called “Highland: Thailand’s Marijuana Awakening.” As medical marijuana has since become a reality, it provides some background on how we got here.