Japan sees record marijuana cases in 2017; spike in youth involvement

this is sad. I hope japan have a decrease in marijuana use.

I see the usual crowd are quite happy to see Japan's youth wasting their money on weed... getting stoned isn't a way to live your life.

It's their money to use as they see fit.

Getting stoned may not be a way for you to live your life, but you aren't everyone. There are oodles of successful people that get stoned.

getting stoned isn't a way to live your life.

One could debate whether one should or should not get stoned, but I can't see what business it is for the government to decide that nobody can touch the stuff.

I see the usual crowd are quite happy to see Japan's youth wasting their money on weed... getting stoned isn't a way to live your life.

I wonder if they will say, when they become PM some day in the future, that they never inhaled!

I see the usual crowd are quite happy to see Japan's youth wasting their money on weed... getting stoned isn't a way to live your life.

They should be out catching the real criminals and punishing them properly (unlike what happend with the perverted elementary school teacher) rather than wasting everyone's time coming after pot smokers.

Where there is poverty people use drugs.

Where there are people, people use drugs.

The only way MJ could kill you is if you smoked a telephone pole size joint in under 30 minutes.

Anyone want to help me test this hypothesis?

USA legalized marjuana but still has extremely high crime rates.

No it hasn't and because of the idiocy of the federal government, it may never be legalized. Some states have wisely made the right choice TO legalize it but seeing as how the federal government still criminalizes it, problems continue.

"Marijuana was made illegal in Japan by the US immediately after WWII"

interesting, SEEMS like the US made many rules over Japan, after ww2

Good on the police for keeping Japan safe.

Said on the same day that another news headline reads: 'Ex-elementary school teacher gets 4-year prison term for sexual indecency'...

We dont want a situation like in Western Nations with widespread use of drugs,which leads to crimes,gangs and social problem.

This is such a laughable comment and has no basis in reality...

Marijuana was made illegal in Japan by the US immediately after WWII. Now that the US has finally come to its senses and legalized medical and (in some states) recreational marijuana, I really do hope Japan also comes to its senses. No valid reason to keep it illegal.

The article states a rise in marijuana use even with Japan's strict rules.

There has been a rise, but it's still nearly non-existent.

Some weed would be good for Japan.

After reading all the "statistics" about this "dangerous and evil" drug, I'm still waiting to see what percentage of people died from an overdose of marijuana, committed a crime while under the influence of marijuana or show a great dependency on marijuana that makes it such a "bad drug" that comes with such harsh punishment for even having the seeds from it.

Whilst I commend Japan's stance on drugs, it is a losing battle. The article states a rise in marijuana use even with Japan's strict rules.

We dont want a situation like in Western Nations with widespread use of drugs,which leads to crimes,gangs and social problem

You already have a massive problem with gangs, and they are running many of your establishments through organised crime. You're painting "Western Nations" with a broad brush with stereotypical nonsense. Japan has enough social problems even without use of drugs.

Not much need to comment here. The consensus is clear: free that weed.

My 2 cents. At least allow it consider testing medical marijuana.i have a chronic illness that requires a very special drug on a regular basis. I only pay 10,000 yen every two months for it, but it's costing the tax payers over $60,000 a year (only one company makes it, a us company). You know what else is used to treat my condition? Marijuana. Will it work? Is it as effective? Who knows. No testing being down outside a few very small trials in the USA on mouse tissue. On the mice it's working, but there are also hundreds of annicdotal stories of it working for my condition.

Remember Tokyo Police flying to a remote Island to arrest a woman and man who was terminally ill. Committing no crime other than using MJ for pain relief. What a waist of public money. The only way MJ could kill you is if you smoked a telephone pole size joint in under 30 minutes.

Rather have a bunch of Japanese getting stoned than drunk and belligerent.

AMEN! Also better to have them use marijuana then those dangerous selfmade/homemade drugs kikendoragu..

"It is possible that more people are shifting to marijuana on the back of declining number of people using so-called 'dangerous drugs' against which measures have been bolstered," an agency official said.

Good! Marijiana is a much, much better and safer alternative.

Good to hear usage is up, that’s the first step to normalization. Weed would do wonders for Japan

Used to live in a Central Asian country where alcohol was not banned but was so frowned upon it was mostly non-existent. Hashish, on the other hand, was plentiful. Their society seemed better off for this, actually. It's far more a cultural thing than scientific.

The Japanese government defines dangerous drugs as those containing chemical agents that can cause hallucinations or have a stimulant effect.

This is an interesting statement considering you can buy alcohol 24/7 at nearly every store. Yes, marijuana can be dangerous if it is used while driving or operating machinery because it can effect concentration. However, its effect on concentration can have very positive effects on highly strung and stressed out people. like so many in Japan. Alcohol kills millions of people every year worldwide. However, nobody has ever been killed by marijuana use. So, please tell me, which is the 'dangerous drug'?

Rather have a bunch of Japanese getting stoned than drunk and belligerent.

Welp, looks like the secret is out among younger Japanese people. Marijuana isn’t the super dangerous drug they were taught. As pointed out by other posters, alcohol is worse for you. It’s easier to just repeat what you were taught in middle school than critically think about it and do research, though. All while sipping on a 9% chuhai of course!

Where there is poverty people use drugs. Abenomics is working fine.

"I was shocked a couple of months ago when I witnessed a group of youths walking down the street in plain view smoking what smelled like marijuana, passing it to each other"

Lol, oh God the horror! And to think, just the other day I saw 15-20 people outside a building puffing away on their cancer sticks.

Seriously though, if Japan Tobacco is a thing, why not Japan Cannabis? Hell, I'm just glad my alcohol is legal.

Dirty, fat and stoned is not the direction Japan needs to go.

Nothing like perpetuating stereotypes.

Good on the police for keeping Japan safe. 3 people arrested in 100,000 shows marjuana is a small issue. We dont want a situation like in Western Nations with widespread use of drugs,which leads to crimes,gangs and social problem. USA legalized marjuana but still has extremely high crime rates

If you look at the criminal stats in states that have legalized marijuana, the crime surrounding it has plummeted.

If you look at the research, you'll find marijuana is far less harmful than alcohol.

Don't blame it on the the sunshine don't blame it on the moonlight blame it on the boogie. Or as is constantly blamed on the Alcohol, but I don't remember. Now if I was stoned probably wouldn't have been so stupid in the first place. Drink up and commit crimes you can't remember beat the crap out of your family. Get some weed and giggle at commercials at home.

Dirty, fat and stoned is not the direction Japan needs to go.

Don't know why, well I do marijuana is linked to gangs, social problems. If it's a banned substance that has no harmful effects then the banning of it causes these problems. Simple decriminalise it all these problems disappear. It's a natural herb that has yet to kill anybody. And has numerous uses for medical help. Far better then the chemical concoctions peddled by pharmaceutical companies.

Good on the police for keeping Japan safe. 3 people arrested in 100,000 shows marjuana is a small issue. We dont want a situation like in Western Nations with widespread use of drugs,which leads to crimes,gangs and social problem. USA legalized marjuana but still has extremely high crime rates.

Keep these drugs out of Japan!

I was shocked a couple of months ago when I witnessed a group of youths walking down the street in plain view smoking what smelled like marijuana, passing it to each other