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Revellers on cloud nine at cannabis festival as Thailand relaxes law
The smell of smoke was unmistakable as revellers celebrated at a major Thai cannabis festival following the kingdom's decision to begin relaxing the laws around the drug.
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People smoke weed to celebrate the legalization of cannabis at the 'Thailand: 420 Legalaew!' weekend festival hosted by Highland in Nakhon Pathom province on June 11, 2022. (AFP/Lillian Suwanrumpha)
T
he pungent smell of smoke was unmistakable as revellers celebrated under the stars at a major Thai cannabis festival following the kingdom's decision to begin relaxing the laws around the drug.
Thailand has long been known for its tough drug laws, but the government has steadily liberalised them in recent years and on Thursday the plant came off the banned narcotics list, decriminalising cultivation and possession.
While the changes stop short of Canada and Uruguay's decisions to fully legalise recreational use, Thailand hopes to cash in on the growing global market -- already worth billions of dollars -- for legal cannabis products, particularly in food and medicine.
At a festival organised by marijuana advocacy group Highland Network, several thousand happy attendees made the most of the newly relaxed rules.
"As soon as we got through to the other side, we sparked up," said Steve Cannon, 62, who came with a group of friends.
"Since then people have been handing me joints all afternoon and I couldn't tell you what a fair number was now, but I have been smoking all afternoon," said the American jazz musician, who has lived in Bangkok for the past 15 years.
Multibillion-dollar market
