Phuket, After news that the government is preparing to remove marijuana as a drug. This caused many parties to come out and express their opinions about this matter. Of course, there are both sides that agree and those that disagree. Today, the Thai News Agency news team went to Phuket Province to inspect marijuana shops. Which Phuket has a lot of sales. Ranked among the top in the country As soon as the Ministry of Public Health announcement, dated November 11, 2022, removed marijuana from being a category 5 narcotic and allowed licensees under Section 46 to conduct research studies. Cannabis can be legally exported and sold. From then on, Phuket Island began to bustle with marijuana shops. Especially at famous tourist attractions Such as Patong, Karon, Kamala, Chalong, Cherng Talay, and Phuket Old Town. In some places the shops open next to each other, in others they are only twenty or thirty meters apart. It can be said that as soon as you leave this store, you can immediately enter another store. Curren tly, Phuket has a total of 1,623 licensed marijuana shops in Thalang District, 237 shops, 570 shops in Kathu, and 816 shops in Muang. Each shop will be licensed for three years at a time in exchange for paying a license fee of only 3,000 baht. You can easily apply online. This has led to a rapid increase in marijuana shops in Phuket. But still, Dr. Phuket Provincial Public Health Office said that there are still marijuana shops that secretly open without permission. Licensed shops are more likely to commit crimes. Especially violating regulations that prohibit smoking in the store. and invitational advertisements, which the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office has arrested together with the police Ready to order the suspension of licenses for 30 days for 26 shops. In addition, he admits that there are still complaints coming in from time to time. The issue of foreigners secretly opening their own marijuana shop businesses Using a Thai person as a nominee, but when the Provincial Public Health Office went t o inspect it, it was found that the documents submitted were correct. therefore cannot be condoned This marijuana shop owner Tell me that He was one of the first In Phuket that has received a license to legally open a marijuana shop. By doing it as a family business Opened as a small shop In the city Focus on selling only to foreign tourists. From the end of '65 until last year, sales were very good. In some months, the income reached 100,000 baht. Therefore began to expand the business. But when it came to this year, sales dropped sharply. It may be caused by many factors. Both the number of marijuana shops are increasing. and having foreigners Especially some Russians Turning to do this business to feed fellow countrymen who come to travel in Phuket. This causes Thai marijuana shops to face even more problems. The more we hear that the government plans to bring marijuana back to being a narcotic again, the more we worry. Because I invested a lot. Ready to offer a solution that the government should expedi te. A clear Marijuana Control Act Determine the opening and closing times for marijuana shops Intensify licensing of marijuana businesses rather than canceling them outright. Because it will cause more damage than good. As for this person in Phuket, he agreed that marijuana should be considered a drug. Because they say that in the past there have been marijuana users, mostly foreign tourists, causing trouble for people who don't smoke. Including the violation of smoking marijuana in public until causing a disturbing smell. Moreover, some shops illegally sell them to young people. He believes that this is one of the roots that lead to other social problems. Whether or not marijuana will be treated as a drug remains to be seen. But if you look at it positively Cannabis has medical value. and can save the lives of many patients who need it But if it is used in the wrong way, it will have a negative impact on society on a large scale as well. Therefore, the government must set a strategy regarding this matter i n the right way. And there is a clear control law. Source: Thai News Agency