CC INSIGHTS Thailand medical Cannabis

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The legal and economical situation of the Thai Cannabis market.

After taking the first steps towards the liberalization of hemp cultivation over the course of the last few years, at the end of 2018 Thailand’s government decided to legalize medical cannabis as the first Southeast Asian country. Thereby Thailand is on track to become one of the relevant players in the upcoming Asian cannabis and hemp markets, if not worldwide. This is not least due to its exceptional cultivation conditions and central position within the Southeast Asian trading zone. This paper shall give a condensed overview over the status quo in Thailand and the potential emerging from the ongoing developments.

$16

Average price per  bottle cannabis oil 5ml

$1.6

Industrial purchasing cost  per Gramm

140k

People interested in pre-enrolling to med. cannabis programm

$4b

Worth of illegal cannabis seized in 2018

Historical Background

Back then, Thai cannabis, best known in the form of the “Thai stick”, was praised for its excellent quality and considered one of the finest and strongest cannabis in the world. It was called the “Cuban cigar of the marijuana world” by a DEA agent in 1967 and even compared with French wine. It was a quite lucrative business, with a kilo worth 3$ at the farm easily sold for 4000$ in the U.S. in the 1970.

$19b

Healthcare expenditure 2018

$30b

Healthcare expenditure estimated by 2024

21.3%

Prevalence of Tobacco Users 2015

0.6m

Prevalence of cannabis users

1.1m

Estimated Prevalence of cannabis users by 2024 

$455b

GDP 2017

69m

Population

$215b

Exports

Legislation and Licenses in Thailand

Licenses Needed:

YES – different licenses for cultivation, extraction, prescription & consumption.

Legalization Status:

Medical cannabis, hemp & CBD oil
– Legal with license;
Recreational use remains illegal

Core Market Segments:

Research & development, medical cannabis products (oils), healthcare and recreational cannabis tourism.

Market Access:

Protected & high security standards; Cultivation & extraction only in co-operation with full- or partly-public institutions.

Users Preference:

Cannabis & CBD oils.

Plantations and Growing:

Thai land-race only, mainly indoor & greenhouse, outdoor (hemp only).

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