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Cannabis-derived gummies probed after 9 fall ill in Tokyo

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at a park in western Tokyo

That would be Musashino Koen in Koganei, by the way.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

This could all be avoided if the Japanese government would make anything having to do with hemp or cannabis plants illegal. Otherwise, with all these derivative cannabinoids, people will keep trying to get high and it will be legal.

-1 ( +20 / -21 )

which were handed out by a man during a festival held at a park in western Tokyo

What festival? Hippies festival?

-18 ( +5 / -23 )

This could all be avoided if the Japanese government would make anything having to do with hemp or cannabis plants illegal.

Illegal? Maybe you chose poorly. Make them legal and then unregulated chemicals are not being continually tested on naive bodies and minds to avoid the regulations.

8 ( +20 / -12 )

Legalise it, regulate supply, these incidents will cease

13 ( +31 / -18 )

The gummies the man handed out 

My first thoughts were poor hygiene.

Japan’s Lower House on Tuesday passed a bill to legalize medical products made from cannabis

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/11/14/japan/crime-legal/cannabis-bill/

1 ( +9 / -8 )

HHCH is a synthetic substance with a structure similar to tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, a constituent of cannabis, and can cause effects such as hallucinations and memory impairment.

Japan's prohibition of actual, organic Cannabis products allows the influx of dangerous, adulterated synthetics.

Fact: the LDP laws are causing harm to the health of the population.

-3 ( +19 / -22 )

So, HHCH and related products can be used freely as a medicinal or recreational drug for the time being. That’s remind me when magic mushrooms were freely sold in the streets of Shibuya.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

HHCH and regular THC gummies are potent. 1st timers are usually directed to just eat half of the gummy or less. Eating one whole, you get the nausea, sick feeling. Pretty sure they ate the whole thing in one go, its a very common (in the US anyways) beginner's lesson learned.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

I’m writing from Thailand at present where there are over 6000 cannabis dispensaries.

Cannabis has been used by mankind for centuries

Society doesn’t appear to have broken down…

-7 ( +15 / -22 )

Misleading headline. Unsurprising though. The THC conversation is a long one that is essentially people on different sides. But a key point is having the organic form banned while allowing a synthetic one on the market, it's simply dangerous. I am more concerned about hemp and its benefits for the environment and versatility in industry. would love to see Japan repeal the draconian laws that still limit its production.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

how does one probe a gummy?

but seriously just legalize thc, these analogs will always be FAR more dangerous than the natural plant. the gov't could make so much money. it's absurd.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

This is what happens when you make something used by millions around the world illegal. You get people making things from home that aren't properly tested. Just imagine if they banned alcohol. You would have people making and selling all kinds of concoctions from their 1DK apartments in Ikebukaro. Reminds me of the 75+ year old teacher that made yogurt at home and then fed it to his students who all got sick.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Ill or high? It's just science that the natural product is safer than synthetic ones. This is one is on the dinosaurs in the Diet, too.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

On News 10 last night they showed this story.

The reporter bought the same gummies legally from a shop. Exactly the same bag and brand.

The people were sick because of eating too much - as neurozoo mentioned above.

Allowing synthetically derived cannabinoids to be unrestricted in production and sale, while natural hemp is criminalized just shows what page the authorities are on.

It shows an incredible naivety on the realities of the illegal drug industry.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Japan loves to demonize cannabis yet it also loves to celebrate alcohol. One drug makes you relaxed and laugh, one can make you violent and gives you a hangover. Ah, but one is taxed. Go figure.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

I don’t smoke but if you use marijuana smoking it may be best.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It use to be alcohol in my days in the from of a soft drink mix and just what they also fall ill vomiting and incoherent ( rotten drunk) and had to hospitalised.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

While THC is banned in Japan, HHCH is not, according to the health ministry.

THIS is the problem. Easy to solve.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Ridiculous the way this reads.

9 fall ill

And

they felt ill

Like what does this even mean? "They fell ill". In what way did they fall ill? Seizure? Heart attack? Something really serious?

No, actually, it's just the typical miniscule nonsense we've always known about. Some dizziness and probably anxiety. The funny thing is, it's probably not even the chemical that is making them feel that way; it's probably the environment. You have an insane culture of neuroticism that is endlessly making people more paranoid all the time.

We know what this will lead to. The authorities will use this as an excuse to label HHCH as a "kiken drug", which is false, and then they will ban it. The market will eventually come up with a new solution, and then that will be the new thing for three months until the cycle repeats.

Meanwhile the pharmaceutical industry rakes in trillions off of experimental drugs and practices as well! Totally corrupt.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Not derived but synthetics.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Where can I find this guy? Asking for a friend…

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I do not want to jump to conclusion, but it seems the gummies were not actually dangerous, but the people were not use to taking THC or its derivatives. Of course, it is not surprising that people especially kids were getting sick from the highness. It is like children getting smashed after drinking their first wine cooler or beer.

However, unregulated drugs has the potential to cause problems. I remember a decade ago when some guy in Ikebukuro ran over several people in his car. At the time, he was high on Spice. Basically, potpurri sprayed with a chemical derivative of THC.

There are a couple credible businesses that sell THC products in Tokyo. The products are quite expensive which could fuel an underground market of cheaper variations. That will continue if barriers to enter the market remains high. The same is true if the barriers are too low. Then you have a whole lot of fly by night businesses. There needs to be balance, but the J-government cannot legislate out of a wet paper bag!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Of course they should immediately act now and also ban that HHCH as an ingredient of anything when people fall ill one after another. I have no tolerance that this is even celebrated here and leads to a happy discussion about further legalization of illegal drugs and their synthetic derivates.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

kurisupisu

Thailand society has been broken, you cant break it anymore.

I dont understand why this work around is still allowed here.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

EastmanToday  12:36 pm JST

make zero rule for any drugs.

You want to ban coffee and tea?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Lite weights

also, literally taking candy from strangers. Common guys, be adults with some sense

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It's not about THC's status or HHCH's status. From what is written, it appears that this fellow may not have informed people he gave the candy to, that there was a drug in it, albeit a legal one as HHCH is legal in Japan. It's no different if someone gave alcohol-laced candy to people without telling them there was alcohol in it. Sounds to me like issues of disclosure and lack of just plain decent behavior.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

NotThe One - you are probably correct in stating that it was not the gummies per se that caused the problem but peoples lack of experience & knowledge of the product - assuming the dosage in one gummy wasn't particularly high.

I discussed this with an advanced English student this morning. He is of the opinion that all Cannabis & related products are dangerous.

I suggested to him - "What would you think of a new drug in liquid form based on ethanol, that had the following side effects as normal - slurred speech, clumsiness and unsteady gait, euphoria, drowsiness, vomiting, headache, distortion of senses and perception, loss of consciousness, lapses in memory, a rise in aggressive tendencies leading to violence etc."

He said it would not be allowed.

I said it is - it's called alcohol and kills and harms 10,000s of people a year in Japan and creates a lot of misery.

But the boogey-manning of cannabis by authorities continues unabated.

Why?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

@Leo T

What are you referring to?

No society is perfect but Thailand hasn’t broken down in the slightest

There are many many foreign firms doing business in Thailand

In and around Bangkok Japanese companies are doing great!

There are gummies all over too but as in this story not being given to children

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I discussed this with an advanced English student this morning. He is of the opinion that all Cannabis & related products are dangerous.

Yet Japanese will happily invest all the drugs that are given to them by the medical profession-brainwashed population …

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I don't think it was inexperience or dosage. Synthetic cannabis makes people go crazy, I'm not surprised the people felt sick. Just look up a video or story of someone trying synthetic cannabis called 'Spice' or 'K2'. Experience cannabis users will say they felt like they were dying or losing their mind. The synthetic stuff isn't properly tested and it's really nothing like organic cannabis.

So while I agree with you that Spice and K2 are definitely complete trash and very much awful/dangerous for your body, HHCH is not comparable to those.

It's worth pointing out, Spice and K2 arrived on the scene almost twenty years ago overseas, when the anti-weed drug war in the States was very much still in full swing. Things did not begin to loosen up until California legalized medical and Colorado eventually legalized recreational. The process for developing the designer drugs was very much a crude one, and as we eventually found out, the results were not good.

Since legalization in many parts of the world, a kind of "cannabis science" has emerged, leading to the creation of what could be considered "true synthetic cannabinoids". There is a lot more information and data available now than there was before, and thanks to that, we don't see the same levels of danger with substances that fit into the "barely legal" category.

That is to say, what we saw two decades ago weren't really synthetic cannabinoids so much as they were mock cannabinoids. HHCH on the other hand is in the same family of chemicals as THC. A thorough investigation and study would probably uncover that it poses minimal risk as does THC, unfortunately the game is rigged. I say let people enjoy what they want to.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Hey, Ohio, a red state, has just legalized MaryJane for recreational use. Japan should follow. Pot should grow well from Hokkaido to Okinawa.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Fact: the LDP laws are causing harm to the health of the population.

Well, the stoners at least... _^

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Reefer Madness; coming to a Japan near you.

https://addcbd.co.jp/view/page/about-cbd#company

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Here’s another link.

https://addcbd.co.jp/

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I tried a joint from one of those places.

Effect was quite long lasting and gnarly.

Not the same as the real thing.

The cafe was thriving.

So many customers

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Quite a few weak minded people here. Normal people don't need either natural or artificial one.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

When I was young, my parents taught me never to take candy from strangers, especially if they were in white vans.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Quite a few weak minded people here. Normal people don't need either natural or artificial one.

You have some gummies before you wrote this?

Did I have some gummies before I READ this!?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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