2 men arrested for growing hemp in Tokyo park

Alchol causes more problems in society, it's not policed it's not regulated and it's completely legal to drink as much as you want! So where is the problem with a little weed?

Oh for heaven's sakes!! Just LEGALIZE the damn thing!!! This is a non-VIOLENT offence. Surely, they're more SERIOUS crimes the police should be pursuing. Right??

Frungy said: This has lead to the ridiculous situation where people will support someone's right to smoke a joint in public, but will scream bloody murder if someone lights a cigarette.

And what percentage of people are doing both of those at the same time? 90 percent who do the other again? Actually to tell you the truth, I can't remember the last time there ever was a debate about smoking MJ in public. Might you be confusing that with debate over the simple right to smoke MJ? But, FYI, marijuana smoke and cigarette smoke are different. Generally, cigarette smoke is laced with chemicals by the tobacco companies which increases addictiveness and some of those chemicals are believed to be carcinogenic. I don't have much of a problem with unlaced tobacco or all natural marijuana. But chemically laced tobacco (most in the world) I do have a big problem with. There is even a difference between cigar smoke and cigarette smoke, the most obvious being the smell.

"Those experts are correct RobertCB, it's linked to schizophrenia. It doesn't "cause" schizophrenia, but it does raise the risk by about 10 times (1000%)."

Yes very good, you saw the same news everybody did. Nope the docs on TV weren't talking about that, they actually claim that a peoeple with no risk of schizophrenia were going to go crazy.

About 90% of schizophrenics have used marijuana (as opposed to 22% of the general population).

100% of people who have seen the sun have woken up. So waking up causes the sun to appear.

About 90% of schizophrenics have used marijuana (as opposed to 22% of the general population).

Not a chance that is remotely correct. No way.

RobertCB at 08:47 PM JST - 5th April The Japanese media and news is still in their reefer madness phase and it's not uncommon to see an "expert" on TV say how it can cause insanity.

Those experts are correct RobertCB, it's linked to schizophrenia. It doesn't "cause" schizophrenia, but it does raise the risk by about 10 times (1000%). This still isn't a lot of people, one in 10 000 rather than 1 in 100 000. About 90% of schizophrenics have used marijuana (as opposed to 22% of the general population).

Of course one could say that this is coincidence not causality, and I would be forced to agree that at the moment we haven't been able to track down exactly how marijuana contributes to the development of schizophrenia so it is still a theory... in the same way that the argument that smoking tobacco causes cancer (40% of adults globally smoke, 90% of lung cancer patients are smokers). The argument about tobacco and cancer is much weaker than the link between marijuana and schizophrenia, but is commonly accepted in the media as true. This has lead to the ridiculous situation where people will support someone's right to smoke a joint in public, but will scream bloody murder if someone lights a cigarette.

these dudes are certainly welcome in the great state of washington. some of the best chronic in the nation is grown here.

Yeah, people can get hysterical when attacking or defending pot and there's plenty of irony to go around. In any case the current laws are just impractical. If they really want to stop pot, they need to develop electronic sniffing chips asap or have pot dogs patrolling the street. Those dogs would just need lots of rest and an occasional big mac between jobs.

Had a dredge around J news sites and finally got the answer to my repeated question here as to how they could have grown plants in the bitter cold winter in a public park. (Apologies for disturbing the pros and cons of dope arguments.)

They grew these 35 plants between April and August last year.

The police are trying to charge them with growing with intent to sell.

Anyway after seven months, the machinery of the law must have finally sent the cops round with arrest warrants.

PrideInJapan: It's a "fact"? Just where do you get your "facts" from? Other posters: hilarious. Hard to find anything these days that brings a grin, so thanks!

Having my smoke would be the one thing that would make my stay here in Japan perfect. Laws here are crazy draconian though, people can go to jail for a week from just resin in a pipe.

C'mon they are just having a bit of fun, not hurting anyone. Its harmless and although the same experts that criticize Marijuana also criticize smoking and alcohol they are only wrong when it comes to marijuana. Just because the hydo stuff that you get these days could stone a mature elephant doesn't mean its any worse for you.

Legalize it and you would send it back to the 1960s in quality, a veritable stone age compared to the meaty buds produced now. I would rather have "criminals" regulating my high than have some gov't official doing it.

I craved a splif after reading this article and the comments.

I keep coming back to this article. This story has entertainment value, unlike most of the other stories. Japan's own Cheech and Chong.

I know. I know. Society is completely messed up by kids like these. I mean they're everywhere and we hear about this all the time. Right?!?! It's no wonder why society needs to spend an insane amount of money to keep two kids from growing plants for themselves. Thank the lord we caught these kids...or actual don't thank the lord. He (supposedly) made the stuff in the first place.

I won't voice my pro or con but just reading this gave me the munchies

The Great Drug War.How silly.Who benefits by it? The war would end if "illegal drugs" were treated as prescription drugs. Hemp/marijuana does not fall into this class and should be treated more like tobacco. It is a cash crop in most of the rest of the world. Win the War on Drugs by eliminating the "illegality" and governments will get tax revenue on sales. Legalize pot and stop making criminals out of those that choose it over other drugs like alcohol and nicotine.

Sigh...

"Oh, give me a break. The last thing a society needs to worry about are a few potheads."

The Japanese media and news is still in their reefer madness phase and it's not uncommon to see an "expert" on TV say how it can cause insanity.

888naff, What is the "social impact" of urban youth spending a whole year growing 35 plants on public land?

888naff and LoneWolfwfk, I don't think it's funny at all. It's sad. This one simple plant has many useful functions, so it also has many industries (pharma, liquor, fabric, food oil, fuel oil, lubricant, ...) ready to demonize it. And demonize it they have. And a alot of people bought into the refer madness. And then another group, has been quietly cross-breeding and developing newer and better and more THC-potent strains over the decades. And then there's the whole black-market/crime fighting industry that thrives off the ignorance.

Really, growing pot should be a healthy hobby in which teenagers learn a bit of horticulture, nurturing, and patience. Take a swing at the black market. Make it legal to possess up to say, 30 seedlings and 5 adult plants. Alaska used to allow,... I think it was 3 adult plants, per person. Bastion of the land of the free, that was. And then they too got the prohibition.

Gotta love all the to and frow from the pro-pot and anti-pot crew, although I must say, the anti-pot crew have the imaginations of LCD addicts. Very colorful imaginations indeed. - I am amazed these poticulturalists got away with it fir so long.

It's funny how people who know nothing about it, critisize it. "make persons crazy and do foolish things"???

yeah its funny how people who know nothing about also support it and are blind to the social impact especially the negative ones...

Potheads in Adachi ward? They're already at the bottom of the academic totem pole and I don't think weed is gonna make them any smarter.

It's funny how people who know nothing about it, critisize it. "make persons crazy and do foolish things"??? LMAO...the craziest thing I ever did was fall asleep while watching Pink Floyd - The Wall with a bag of Doritos on my lap. I say,

"Legalize it - don't criticize it Legalize it and i will advertise it" -Peter Tosh

Remember in Japan follow the rules and everything will be fine......

it the safest, and most pleasant, with no hangover, like the killer alcohol.

I guess you meant unlike the killer alcohol. But I agree, the main side effects are that gives you appetite and makes you sleep really well.

It should be legalized worldwide immediately.

Indeed, and its a beautiful plant.

Cannabis is the safest medicine on earth. It is the world's most popular recreational drug, because it the safest, and most pleasant, with no hangover, like the killer alcohol. It should be legalized worldwide immediately.

It is a fact that marijuana can make persons crazy and do foolish things.

That is indeed what supporters of the US cotton growers said several decades ago.

In my opinion, the only bad thing it does is to make people a little slow.

PrideinJapanese:

" It is a fact that marijuana can make persons crazy and do foolish things. "

Oh, give me a break. The last thing a society needs to worry about are a few potheads.

Sabiwabi.

The info I got comes from experts/reports on JTV. The plant/stem itself contains no THC but the blossom, etc do, thus they need to be cut before they reach a height where blossoms, etc occur. Was a long report about 40 minutes after some students were caught growing it.

Either way those guys were stupid.

It is a fact that marijuana can make persons crazy and do foolish things. It is bad for peaceful soceity.

USA banned hemp not because of MJ but because hemp-oil would be a good lubricant, etc and would have been cheaper than oil-based lubricants.

I thought it was due to pressure from the cotton growers.

There are restrictions on who can grow hemp and the plants need to be cut at a certain height, to prevent the production of MJ, etc.

I thought they used a different plant for industrial hemp, one that does not produce the active ingredient THC.

I read (many years ago) that the jute industry in the South Pacific needed protection and nurturing at the end of the war, and that was another reason why hemp was out-lawed in Occupation Japan.

Now it is possible to get a hemp growing license, regulation is VERY strict.

edogawa, the climate is ideal even in winter???

Somewhere in some abandonned farm in Chichibu there is a small stand of ganja-fenced off from the deer and pigs by an old fence overgrown by weeds it protects a secret. Came across one of thes plantations years ago near a campground, undoubtably there are others. The climate is ideal, countryside cops are fat and lazy and tend to look the other way for a bottle or 2 of sake.

Makes you wonder just how many more secret gardens are just under our noses. Can't believe that these are the only ones.

So that's what happened to it! I live down the street from the plantation and was keeping an eye on it. And the buds were just forming too.

At 1.8 meters in April? It must have been winter hemp.

Either that or the arrests took half a year to filter through...

From start to finish a waste of tax money and police man hours.

Always Adachi....

Zenny, don't forget the influence of the paper and logging industry in outlawinging Hemp (He who printed the newspaper also sold the trees), MJ was just a scapegoat reason.

Oh nuts....I wish i had of found it first!

I would think it's just a bad translation and probably marijuana and not hemp. This reminds me of the guys who were arrested for growing them next to a train line, the conducted saw them.

Piglet and others?

Are you in japan? If so are you aware that you can buy hemp-rope at the combini, etc. Ditto for hemp clothing, etc. Hemp itself is a legal produce in japan alas controlled.

There are restrictions on who can grow hemp and the plants need to be cut at a certain height, to prevent the production of MJ, etc.

It is a legal industry just heavily regulated and controlled. Still those 2 guys were morons.

Trivia:

USA banned hemp not because of MJ but because hemp-oil would be a good lubricant, etc and would have been cheaper than oil-based lubricants.

Japan has to be one of the most strict country on weed, as even growing the hemp can lead to arrest (without any proof of possession of the finished product). As one contributor wrote above, hemp can be used for traditional rope or clothing making.

Thank the USA for these laws.

Japan has to be one of the most strict country on weed, as even growing the hemp can lead to arrest (without any proof of possession of the finished product). As one contributor wrote above, hemp can be used for traditional rope or clothing making.

With all the real problems Japan has now, the authorities are wasting efforts with this nonsense? Stupid.

PenelopePitstop.

2 ways to win a Darwin award: Do something stupid that kills you or removes your ability to reproduce.

But agree they should get an honorable mention. Anyone submitted it yet?

Nice to see that their minds are no longer weighed down by the earthquake, tsunami, and the stricken power plants

Maybe they were trying to make (grow) their own "Power Plants"

Next time, geniuses, plant it, forget it, come back when it's ready.

Too bad you have to die to be eligible for a Darwin award, these guys deserve some sort of a prize...

LOL

Probably rag weed not worth smoking anyway. Japanese don't know how to grow pot.

I'm surprised they knew what it was.

Nice to see that their minds are no longer weighed down by the earthquake, tsunami, and the stricken power plants.

why did they have to admit to it? just claim its not theirs and police will have no proof.

they should have grown it on their veranda,,,

1.8 m? Brilliant way of hiding something from Police. lol.

What if they were a revival group, growing it to make rope for rigging on a period-ship they were constructing?

dumb

Is hemp illegal?

And now our tax money is going to be wasted prosecuting these green thumbs. What a waste.

Police said Monday they have arrested two men for growing hemp in Toneri Park in Tokyo’s Adachi Ward. One of the men, who has been identified as Kentaro Adachi, 23

"Hey, I own this place! Get off my land, copper!"

When asked why those chose to grow hemp in a public place, they were quoted as saying they used to play there as children, and knew the area well.

Genius. You can't write comedy better than that. I used to play nearby a police station as a kid. I'm gonna start my own hemp garden there tomorrow.

No problem, it was contaminated with radioactive cesium anyway.