Japan sees record 4,300 cannabis offenders in 2019

Japan has the perfect climate for growing hemp. I'm surprised it's not growing everywhere, especially in the hills.

If I were a drug dealer, I'd grow it here in Japan in the mountains, not smuggle it in.

Japan was a huge grower of hemp before America shut it down after WW2.

Unfortunately Japan had to toe the line and accept being controlled by the U.S.

Alcohol is the only legal intoxicant as Strangerland says...that doesn't mean it is healthy , safe or without side effects like any other 'drug'.

The agency warned that young people are less aware of the risks associated with cannabis use

You mean, the munchies? Maybe that’s why 7-11 is running out of snacks.

Legally grown and tested weed (aka MJ) is safer than alcohol. If the USA FTA was run by the FDA, alcohol would be banned as a toxic substance immediately. Weed has been around for thousands of years and has many uses even in places like Japan such as textiles, food spices, herbal medicinal remedies etc. The big issue with MJ started in the USA when the prohibition era of alcohol ended and suddenly the government (the cross dresser J E Hoover and director) had an agency with no purpose and they needed another target so they made MJ their target to keep their jobs. Alcohol makes people angry or volatile when used to extreme while MJ makes people relaxed and sociable.

I agree. They continue to feed the public negative information about Cannabis in order to get the public to reject It and in the hopes people will be less interested in buying and believe me, this country would be better off if they smoked it and the more they legalize it. Seem like the country is losing the battle on trying to stop people from taking it. As long as the people want it, they’ll never stop it.

Weird given you call people in California and Oregon pot zombies whilst cheering pot being illegal in some states.

"It is necessary to correctly inform them about the harmful effects (of cannabis) such as a severe influence on cognitive functions and higher risk of developing mental symptoms," it said.

No! It is necessary to correctly brainwash them with propaganda that has been proven false.

It’s unusual that this report has not been twisted to show how many foreigners were nabbed with pot. They missed this chance to diss on anybody not Japanese.

Japan has the perfect climate for growing hemp. I'm surprised it's not growing everywhere, especially in the hills. 

If I were a drug dealer, I'd grow it here in Japan in the mountains, not smuggle it in

I agree. They continue to feed the public negative information about Cannabis in order to get the public to reject It and in the hopes people will be less interested in buying and believe me, this country would be better off if they smoked it and the more they legalize it. Seem like the country is losing the battle on trying to stop people from taking it. As long as the people want it, they’ll never stop it.

this country doesn't need comments like yours.

You don’t like the truth?

since when smoking is good for lungs, uh ?

Since never.

A warning to all, do NOT intoxicate yourself with any drugs not on the list of approved intoxicants. At the moment, the only approved intoxicant in Japan is alcohol. If you wish to intoxicate, you must stick to this list, or you will be prosecuted.

pointofviewToday 07:14 pm JST

Any kind of smoke going into your lungs can't be good for you.

Which is possibly why MJ / Hash Brownies, Cookies, Cakes & Confectionaries came into being.

Recall one fine day in Amsterdam a fair while ago, where-upon entering one of those "liberal" cafes, was amazed at the array of baked Golden Goodies.

And re merits vs alcohol and other stimulants. Well yes - nothing is 100% safe. But in the world of illicit drugs, it's a no brainer to exclude mj from the company of other substances such as ice, meth, ecstasy, heroin, crack etc and the huge, huge world of legal drugs - namely opioids - that wreak havoc in society.

A govt controlled system will eliminate the criminal involvment whilst establishing safety parameters for thc levels and the reduction of harmful contaminants, while allowing possession of small amounts for personal use.

Useage will not disappear and wasting valuable police resources and marking people for life is short sighted and benefits no-one.

The agency warned that young people are less aware of the risks associated with cannabis use compared with hard drugs such as methamphetamine...

Au contraire. They are MORE aware of the far lower risks of cannabis use compared to the far more serious dangers of hard drugs such as methamphetamine.

Any kind of smoke going into your lungs can't be good for you.

That's a natural line of thought, after being told that the only other thing people smoke regularly, tobacco, is death to your lungs. However, marijuana is not tobacco, nor are the smokes equivalent:

A study published in 2012 in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) had some good news for people who smoke marijuana: smoking at a rate of one joint a day for as long as seven years doesn't seem to affect lung function adversely.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/pot-smokers-can-maybe-breathe-a-little-easier

No one who has ever been around pot to any degree is under the silly illusion that it's even comparable to alcohol in it's harm on the body.

I've known so many pot smokers who had been smoking for decades daily - absolutely fine. I've also known many who drink daily for decades - I have friends who like to drink - and you can see the effects on their bodies.

It's better to not smoke marijuana (I don't). And it's ok to not drink alcohol (I almost never do). But if you think they are equivalent, you are kidding yourself, and you're just repeating the propaganda that's been put out over the past 100 years.

Better not to smoke marijuana, but not really bad if you do. It's helped my father immensely - he's been on the medical marijuana for I think 7 years now.

They should all move to Canada.

Canada has limits on its use. You can't smoke in your car, DUI is just that just like for alcohol, and you can't smoke out in public.

That last one depends on the province. In some provinces you can smoke anywhere that tobacco is allowed.

I couldn't while I was in Ontario and PQ. Any other provinces I don't know.

Ontario:

Originally, Ontario had planned to restrict cannabis consumption to home-use. As legalization reached Canada in mid-October, Ontario reversed course and decided to treat public cannabis consumption as it would cigarette smoking. Ontario cannabis laws allow for outdoor public spaces (including parks!), the home, hotels, vehicles and healthcare facilities for adults. In indoor common areas, enclosed public places, hospitals and places of child care, home or otherwise, smoking is prohibited.

Oops, submitted too early.

Quebec 

Quebec's laws have been deemed complicated and subject to potentially change as well. Currently, laws treat cannabis mostly like cigarettes with additional locations banned as well. Consumers in the province are likely to be confused by changes in municipal regulations as well. In some locations, towns have gone further and banned smoking in all public areas. Meanwhile, others like Montreal have opted to follow the law set by the province. 

Link: https://potguide.com/blog/article/is-public-cannabis-consumption-legal-in-canada/

That link lists other provinces too. I didn't read through them all, but it seems a number of them treat it mostly the same as smoking tobacco, with various exceptions based on province such as no parks or hotels or whatever.

Any kind of smoke going into your lungs can't be good for you.

@Derek,

Yet we all come.

That's 4,321 morons who will claim they had no idea it was illegal in Japan. Doesn't matter if you think it's right or wrong. All that matter is if it's legal or not. After that, you only have yourself to blame.

There were a series of large-scale raids including the seizure of about 1,000 kg of stimulants in waters off Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, in June and some 590 kg in the sea off Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in December.

And who were the smugglers in these cases?

Not the average ALT right?

BigYenApr. 5 09:27 am JSTThe agency also surveyed awareness of the risks of using the drug among 631 offenders of all ages and found only 15.4 percent think it is dangerous.

Sounds like the people know the true (lack of) danger in cannabis, even if the Govt doesn't.

Like any drug cannabis isn't entirely risk-free, but it's far less dangerous than alcohol. I suppose we'll get the usual posters coming along who think that Reefer Madness was on the money.

Marijuana for all uses is legal in Canada and while vacationing there last year I smoked some. It doesn't bring out any mean or aggressive tendencies but Canada has limits on its use. You can't smoke in your car, DUI is just that just like for alcohol, and you can't smoke out in public. I had to toke outside my hotel room in Ottawa and in Quebec City and not where everyone could see me. And you must be an adult of course.

Moderation is the key here. Mary Jane is not a 'miracle drug' but it has its good uses, and it's not a 'demon weed' either. You gotta be mature about it.

bass4funkApr. 5 01:32 pm JSTJapan has the perfect climate for growing hemp. I'm surprised it's not growing everywhere, especially in the hills. 

If I were a drug dealer, I'd grow it here in Japan in the mountains, not smuggle it in

I agree. They continue to feed the public negative information about Cannabis in order to get the public to reject It and in the hopes people will be less interested in buying and believe me, this country would be better off if they smoked it and the more they legalize it. Seem like the country is losing the battle on trying to stop people from taking it. As long as the people want it, they’ll never stop it.

And marijuana, like tobacco is a cash crop. Last year I visited a Mohawk reservation in eastern Ontario to get gas and to stock up, and there were rows of hemp plants as far as the eye could see. Miles and miles of it. First Nations people (Native Canadians) are making a windfall out of it. There are many farms and shops in the area. I bought some pot at a shop called 'Smoke On the Water' (no joke).

StrangerlandToday 04:45 am JSTCanada has limits on its use. You can't smoke in your car, DUI is just that just like for alcohol, and you can't smoke out in public.

That last one depends on the province. In some provinces you can smoke anywhere that tobacco is allowed.

I couldn't while I was in Ontario and PQ. Any other provinces I don't know.

Weird given you call people in California and Oregon pot zombies whilst cheering pot being illegal in some states.

Correct.

No! It is necessary to correctly brainwash them with propaganda that has been proven false.

Search for Recreational Marijuana and Cognitive Decline: What Every Clinical Neurologist Needs To Know

I agree. They continue to feed the public negative information about Cannabis in order to get the public to reject It and in the hopes people will be less interested in buying and believe me, this country would be better off if they smoked it and the more they legalize it. Seem like the country is losing the battle on trying to stop people from taking it. As long as the people want it, they’ll never stop it.

It seems there is no shortage of evidence to suggest there is a negative effect regarding cannabis:

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/what-are-marijuanas-long-term-effects-brain

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/marijuana-affects-cognitive-function-for-72-hours

https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2015-oct/recreational-marijuana-and-cognitive-decline-what-every-clinical-neurologist-needs-to-know

Sure, there is debate on how bad it is. But it is a matter of degree, not of direction.

The only reason we hadn't banned alcohol and tobacco yet is due to entrenched interests. They are two drugs too many. If cannabis hadn't entrenched itself yet, I see no reason to add a third drug to the list.

bass4funkToday 01:32 pm JST

I agree. They continue to feed the public negative information about Cannabis in order to get the public to reject It and in the hopes people will be less interested in buying and believe me, this country would be better off if they smoked it and the more they legalize it. Seem like the country is losing the battle on trying to stop people from taking it. As long as the people want it, they’ll never stop it.

this country doesn't need comments like yours.

since when smoking is good for lungs, uh ?