2025: The year cannabis in Thailand asserts its comparative advantage in the global market

Here's the money quote:

Anutin: "This policy was worded as the research and development of Thai herbs, including cannabis."

Link to consider: Anutin sees bright future for cannabis

This will give The Department of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine (DTAM) authority and enforcement capabilities. They were given this chance before by default, as an ad hoc measure in the face of regulatory inaction from 2022 to now.

It remains to be seen whether DTAM can leverage its new power to attract consumers to its cannabis-based products, therapies and healing spaces.

After weed was delisted in 2022, Thai Traditional Medicine doctors were in every dispensary to oversee activity and provide medical advice to consumers. It did not turn out well.

Consumers more or less ignored the doctors, their therapies and their products.

There was disappointment and bitterness.

A look inward might help this time around. They ought to market their value by developing exclusive spaces with their own verticals - from seed to sale. The market is 95% foreign, so attracting tourists and expats is critical. Can they make it fun? Can they raise the profile of their cannabis extracts and potions?

A new day dawning for medical cannabis

A new global focus on the medicinal qualities of cannabis generally is emerging; can they jump on this wave?

As The Entourage Effect’s Lisa Varley states:

We are witnessing a rise in patient awareness, continuous advances in product development, diverse delivery formats and a shift toward a more medical focus.”

Part of DTAMs failure was external, as the irrational exuberance of legal weed eclipsed the thoughtful consideration of its medicinal value. Yet little attention was paid to marketing TTM. They seemed to assume that consumers would naturally gravitate to them. Well.

Another issue to be considered when looking inward is whether unfair stigma against cannabis use outside of the confines of Thai Traditional Medical therapies. It is rather hard to appeal to cannabis consumers if you assume any cannabis use outside of your own recommendations is unwise or harmful not only to oneself but to society at large.

2025 will be DTAMs last chance. Can they grow a robust over-the-counter medical cannabis sector?

Suppose they can come to grips with the necessity of having a marketing plan and begin to destigmatize cannabis in their schools and among their instructors. In that case, I believe the future is bright not only for adult use of cannabis but also for innovative Thai Traditional health solutions that lead with cannabis and expand via education in the medical impact of Thai food and bodywork as well.