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2 Japanese snowboarders suspended for marijuana use

39 Comments

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39 Comments
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Lame.

20 ( +21 / -1 )

Its really not big deal. The Ski Association of Japan is acting unfairly. The 2 snowboarders where just acting as unofficial ambassadors for, "Cool Japan."

Sad thing is that Japan will always frown on pot. But chain smoking cigarettes and over-consumption of alcohol are widely acceptable behavior. The Japanese are so hard-headed.

25 ( +29 / -5 )

Its really not big deal.

If they were adults and not minors (remember SAJ's duty of care), there would have been (technically) no wrongdoing in partaking in a legal activity.

But local law was broken, (not to mention the tokers' law of discretion) hence it becoming a big deal.

3 ( +9 / -5 )

The other has denied using the drug.

The Ski Association of Japan isn't competent to decide whether anyone is guilty of breaking the laws of Colorado. All they should be allowed to do is wait to see if any charges are forthcoming from the authorities in Colorado. If not, these teens should not be punished.

Even the boy who confessed can't possibly know if he's actually guilty. There are probably a whole host of defences that might apply.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I saw or read something a couple of years ago that said it was illegal for Japanese people to do drugs illegal in Japan, even when they were outside Japan. But I wonder what happens if they do them in a place where said drug is legal? Of course, these guys were minors and weren't even legally doing the drug in Colorado, but what is the punishment for that in Colorado I wonder. Is it a fine? A misdemeanor? All sorts of grey areas here.

Not in the Japanese mindset though. They smoked marijuana and therefore they have become pariahs.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

I saw or read something a couple of years ago that said it was illegal for Japanese people to do drugs illegal in Japan, even when they were outside Japan.

Not for drugs. Japan does claim extraterritorial jurisdiction for many crimes but not for anything drug related. You can find a list in Article 3 of the Penal Code.

http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail/?id=1960&vm=04&re=02

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I just watched this story on the news. Three things I noticed from it:

1) They stressed a few times that these kids did it because it was 'recommended by a foreigner' (外国人に勧められた)

2) It wasn't mentioned until the end of the five-ish minute long story that marijuana is legal in Colorado for those over 21, and only the slightest mention.

3) They did drug testing on these guys' hair. They both tested positive, but one has said he didn't smoke - which is possible since they were at a party, and he may have just gotten a contact high.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Stranger, better analysis on HuffPo, surprise, surprise:

WADA, the global doping body, includes cannabis in its banned substances. A 19 year old Japanese snowboarder received a 10 month disqualification from the international body in 2005, the year before the Turin Olympics.

日本のスノーボード界ではトリノオリンピック前年の2005年、当時19歳だった男子選手がドーピング検査で大麻成分が検出され、国際スキー連盟(FIS)から10カ月の資格停止処分を科されたことがある

http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/2016/04/26/snowboard-cannabis_n_9783294.html

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Thanks for the link M3M3, official links are always the best source of information.

It does appear that drugs are not covered in that link, however, there is also a possibility they are covered under a different law, which would likely be whichever law covers drug usage. It's also possible that what I read/saw was incorrect, but I remember being really surprised by it at the time, as I wondered how they would deal with it when the drug was legal in the place it was being used.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

The Japanese tried and trusted old reliable defence.Blame the gaijin.

Which is especially galling in this instance, because the gaikokujin in question were the Japanese kids, not the Americans who were in their own country.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Umm, they're snowboarders. Is anyone really surprised? This is not a knock on snowboarders at all. Japan really needs to get with the times.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

they need to call Ross Rebagliati. second kid had the right idea. 'it was second-hand smoke. I never touched the stuff." no way the SAJ is smart enough to refute that.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Sjeesh, all this needs is just a slap on the wrist and get over with it event. They were minors, and minors do what minors do, sometimes stupid things.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Ah, Japan! Grow up!

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Jees, give them a break

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Authority gone WILD!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Pathetic, nothing to see here folks move along.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Even though I'm a proponent of the legalization of marijuana world-wide, I still don't see this as nothing. If a couple of minors on a sports trip were found to have been drinking while on that trip, I'd support some sort of action taken against them. I don't see this as being any different. They were minors, and were not allowed to partake in marijuana according to the local laws in Colorado, so they were clearly in the wrong with their actions. For me the big question is the degree to which they will be punished. The indefinite suspension they have received seems overboard to me, as does the resignation of the president.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

What's the big deal!? Marijuana clearly isn't a performance enhancing drug. Teens will be teens, especially in a U.S. state where if they're just a few years older it's perfectly legal to use. Did they commit some kind of crimes while they were high? No!

Who turned them in anyway? Were the Iranian behavior police on hand?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

FINGER POINTING HYPOCRITES. Thats how I define this society. Im not into any kind of drugs but why the heck you have to bash these kids this much for something so stupid. The news seemed like if they were caught smuggling 10kg of cocaine into some country. Everytime I watch these kind of news I try to mentally translate it and imagine it on the news in any country I ever lived, just to realize how ridicule it sounds.

This society amazes me as how hypocrite it can be, Beckys still at home, its even common in Japan the hard-working people resorting to prostitution at the end of the day but if somebody is caught doing the same, heads off! Pachinko and all kinds of gambling, but if somebody is caught doing "illegal" gambling they are treated for days as if they killed somebody in cold blood. No matter how long I live in this island I cannot get this mentality of finger pointing and bashing people for literally NOTHING (they ve done in their private lives).

6 ( +8 / -2 )

"One of the teenagers admitted to smoking marijuana at a party in Colorado, where cannabis is legal for recreational purposes if you are 21. The other has denied using the drug."

(from Strangerland) "They stressed a few times that these kids did it because it was 'recommended by a foreigner' "

Got news for the Japanese news: in Colorado, Japanese are the foreigners, not the people who live there (albeit there could have been other, foreign athletes, but even then it should be "by OTHER foreigners"). A typical response from the J-media and an even more typical problem.

I see no problem with marijuana use, since it is legal (where it was used) and since the drug is anything but an enhancer, but the bottom line is that if it is illegal in Japan or banned for Japanese athletes, they need to be reprimanded and punished in some way. It's the choice of the Japanese organizations, any way you slice it.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I'm sorry but lately I start taking the stance of telling the bare truth to these people, instead acting the "all amazed with Japan" gaijin. Can you use chopsticks? - Can you use a spoon? And this news just gave me even more argument when answering the same silly question they ask us every single day: How do you like Japan? - well you know, its a very nervous society (kinchou) with many pointless general rules that people struggle to obey just for fear of what people might think of them. No wonder a lot of japaneses say that getting out of Japan even for short vacations is so refreshing, living abroad is living free of all this society nervousness. In this tiny little island youre always been watched, and nervous about that. I wish good luck to these guys.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The SAJ doesn't understand Colorado culture !

3 ( +5 / -2 )

While I don't condone the use of marijuana, punishing them like this is ridiculous. It's not like they used performance-enhancing substances.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

But local law was broken, (not to mention the tokers' law of discretion) hence it becoming a big deal.

You prob slammed Micheal Phelps too when he was caught smoking pot. You don't have to be a square 24/7.

I don't smoke, but those teenagers were @ a party. That's what they "do" at parties. No big deal.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

it comes with the snowboarding culture. They all still compete, and the USA atheletes will win medals on top of that, making Japan's conservative views obsolete. Legalization is expected in Canada as well in a year/ few years? Eventually it's not going to matter anymore than alcohol impairment.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Welcome! Two new American snowboarders.

Our last three prresidents could probably teach them how to roll.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

If they were of adult age in the U.S. in Colorado, then it was legal. It happened in the U.S., not Japan. Move on!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

From halfpipe to wholepipe.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

You prob slammed Micheal Phelps too when he was caught smoking pot.

Michael who?

You don't have to be a square 24/7

Assume much? Unlike you, I do enjoy spliff. Not in Japan, of course.

The biggest shame here is the teen's indiscretion. He was grassed up on more levels than he expected.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

End the stupid war on plants already!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

No doubt they did it so they could brag to their friends back home.

Doh!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

This is news ? Really ?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They weren't and it wasn't

Japan does like to make a mountain out of a molehill at times though.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The Head of the Ski Association of Japan, downing his second coffee to help clear his head after a night's sake and whiskey drinking and heavy tobacco smoking, expressed great outrage at the use of this recreational drug...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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