Japanese marijuana users face 7 years in prison after revised law

Japan’s revised drug laws came into effect on Thursday, now criminalizing the use of marijuana and THC, the psychoactive compound found in the plant.

what happened: While possession, transfer and cultivation of marijuana are already banned, the new law will classify marijuana as a narcotic and penalize its use, with offenders facing up to seven years in prison, according to the Daily News.

The changes come amid growing concerns about drug abuse, particularly among young people. In 2023, Japan reported a record 6,703 criminal cases involving marijuana, surpassing methamphetamine cases for the first time, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Notably, 70% of the participants were under 30 years old.

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why it’s important: Previously, cannabis use was not penalized, in part because of the presence of cannabis cultivation in Japan, where accidental exposure could occur.

However, the new law is intended to strengthen the state’s stance on drug control while still allowing the use of medical marijuana products that have been proven effective and safe. These medical cannabis products will now be regulated under a licensing system, similar to other pain medications.

The changes also lift previous bans on cannabis-derived drugs, allowing for the use of treatments such as cannabidiol, which has been approved in Europe and the United States to treat conditions such as severe epilepsy. Despite the tightening of cannabis laws, Japan will continue to strictly regulate cultivation under a revised framework.

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