TOKYO (Bernama-Kyodo): Japan began criminalising the use of cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive chemical found in the plant, as revised laws took effect on Thursday amid growing concerns over drug abuse among young people, Kyodo News Agency reported.
While the possession, transfer, and cultivation of cannabis and THC were already banned in Japan, the new laws classify them as narcotics and prohibit their use as well, with violations carrying a prison sentence of up to seven years.
The revised laws also legalise medical products using substances derived from cannabis that has been proven effective and safe.
In 2023, a record 6,703 people were investigated in criminal cases involving cannabis in Japan, surpassing the number of methamphetamine cases for the first time, the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry said. Seventy percent of cases involved those under the age of 30.
A nationwide survey conducted the same year by a research group of the ministry estimated that some 200,000 people had used marijuana in the past year.
Japan previously did not penalise cannabis use, possibly taking into consideration farmers who may accidentally absorb the drug while growing cannabis plants for use in hemp products.
The changes will also remove a ban on the use of medicines derived from cannabis, controlling them under a licensing system similar to other drugs used for pain relief and other purposes.
Drugs derived from cannabis plants were permitted only in clinical trials in Japan. However, patient groups have been advocating for access to cannabis-derived cannabidiol medicines, which are already approved in Europe and the United States for conditions such as severe epilepsy.
The previous cannabis law will be renamed and will now focus specifically on regulations related to cultivation." - Bernama-Kyodo
