“Just smoking it will send you to prison” – that was just a few years ago. Thailand decriminalized marijuana in 2022. However, behind this freedom are the memories of those whose lives were tossed about as “criminals.” In this article, we will shed light on how Thai society has dealt with marijuana through the voices of people who lived through the “illegal era,” including drug dealers, former prisoners, lawyers, and social activists.
"Three years for one gram" - Excessive punishment and a "selected life"
In the past, possession of cannabis in Thailand was immediately punished as a “drug crime,” and it was not uncommon for a prison sentence of several years to be handed down regardless of the amount. Behind this was a time when a “zero drug policy” was loudly proclaimed, due to pressure from the United States and the influence of international treaties. > “I was arrested in 2015, aged 22, and got three years for just having a bag of dried, brown leaves. I couldn’t explain it to anyone.” Cases like his are not rare. Young people in the northeastern region and from ethnic minorities in particular were subject to unequal crackdowns. Police on the scene had vague criteria for judgment, and arrests were rampant as a “warning” regardless of the small amount of cannabis in possession or the purpose of use. Many cases of illegal trafficking were arrested based on vague judgments, such as “I’ve been growing it in my local village for a long time” or “I was prescribed it by a doctor but there was no paper.” Poverty and lack of educational opportunities reinforced the structure in which people were labeled as criminals for “illegal acts due to ignorance.”
The "ethics" of drug dealers: "If we didn't sell, we couldn't survive"
When we think of illicit trafficking, we tend to think of violence and criminal organizations, but the reality is more complicated than that. “We weren’t gangsters. We just ‘sold’ medicinal herbs.” – K (anonymous), a former drug dealer According to him, cannabis, as a ‘saleable crop’, was the last lifeline for rural villages. He says that during the rainy season, when there was no income, selling cannabis for a few thousand baht supported the lives of his family. In some parts of Thailand, it was customary to grow cannabis in parallel with the rice harvest, and there was little awareness of it being considered ‘evil.’ In addition, the person selling it was ‘someone local,’ and there was rather less of a violent element. Most transactions were done hand-to-hand based on trust, and in many cases there was no structure such as a middleman or cartel. Even so, if they were arrested, they were reported as ‘members of a drug cartel,’ and it was extremely difficult for them to restart their lives. Many people had no job after their release, could not return to their families, and were effectively given ‘social death.’
What has changed? Is it the law or the attitude?
In 2022, the decriminalization of cannabis has greatly changed the circumstances of these people. – Former prisoners operate legal cannabis stores – Former smuggling routes are now in the spotlight as “green tourist destinations” – Village doctors open CBD clinics and begin legal prescriptions But at the same time, the question of “what will happen to those who were arrested during the illegal era?” has also emerged. In some places, the process of expunging criminal records is progressing, but many still carry the “stigma of the past.” “It’s legal now, but am I still the only one with a criminal record?” – Such voices continue to be heard. Many people have had to give up traveling abroad due to their criminal records, and many have lost the chance to obtain qualifications, highlighting the gap between the system and reality.
What is needed for "freedom today" is sharing memories
Legalizing marijuana is not the goal. The question now is how society can “properly pass on” the memories of those who know the prohibition era. “The people who smoked marijuana in secret back then are now running shops openly. That’s freedom. But please don’t forget. Freedom is built on someone’s “lost time.” – Former inmate Mr. S (now a legal marijuana farmer) Like him, many former inmates do not see legalization as “liberation,” but rather as “freedom without compensation.” Civil society has also begun to try to share the “memories of the illegal era” through documentary films, exhibitions, documentary projects, and more.
There is a light that only those who have experienced "darkness" can speak of.
They say that “using marijuana properly” is important. But more than that, “not forgetting the past” is necessary for the future society. Freedom is not about overwriting the absurdity of the past, but about making new choices based on memories. And those who can talk about those memories hold the key to reconstructing society’s values. Now, many of them do not talk about “resentment,” but rather their wish that “we do not want the next generation to have to go through such an experience.” It is precisely because of the “memories of it being illegal” that the freedom of today is so precious, and it is those who have experienced the memories of “illicit trafficking” who can talk about “proper use.” This is surely what the maturity of Thai society is all about.
