Why is Japan Tightening Cannabis Laws As Other Countries Legalize it?

Will Japan change its cannabis law? This is a very hard question, and the answer is not straightforward. Before the year 1948, Japan was the country that used to value cannabis as a spiritual plant for its medicinal properties and healing effects and other different uses. Many countries have legalized cannabis, and others are in the process, but it is treated as a dangerous substance in Japan. In this article, we are going to discuss why is japan tightening cannabis law as other countries legalize it?

Since the cannabis control act introduced in 1948, the possession of cannabis in Japan has been declared illegal. This law was originally introduced by the US when they occupied Japan after the second world war. But before this cannabis banning act was introduced, many farmers were growing and cultivating hemp. There were no reports about cannabis abuse from anywhere in the country.

The intervention of a Japanese Emperor saved the hemp industry and managed to secure the permits that made it legal and easy to grow hemp in japan. It is still growing in Japan without any difficulty. The bad news is that the number of growers of hemp has been reduced. The reduction in hemp growers started in the 1950s. Mainly because of the expensive cultivation costs and licensing cost, not to forget the demand for natural fibres to grow hemp.

Even if you get a licence to grow hemp in japan, the regulation suggests that you can only grow a low THC hemp, but farmers are very keen and have developed strategies so they can make changes accordingly. This has made the life of farmers easier than before. Still, people argue that if the government provided enough material for farmers to grow hemp, it would boost Japan’s agricultural sector because hemp is a sustainable crop and would benefit greatly.

What Does Japanese law Say About Cannabis Possession And Use?

If anyone is caught in possession of cannabis or caught using cannabis, they might face serious prison time in Japan. One of the biggest risks is to face the stigma of using it when it is illegal. Punishing people socially is very common in Japan. The person caught having cannabis within their reach might have to face detention from educational institutes, or the place of their jobs, just because of the possession.

Many celebrities have been banned from Japan. For instance, Paul McCartney, the former Beatles, faced a ban from Japan for almost eleven years. He was busted because 7.7 ounces of marijuana was found in his possession. Not just this, the famous Toshiba had to withdraw its sponsorship when one of the players was caught with the possession of marijuana. Another great actress had to face removal from television just because she possessed marijuana. All her TV shows were removed, and since then, she became an advocate to legalize marijuana in Japan.

If you have been caught selling, growing, or possessing marijuana for personal use, you may face a prison time as long as 7 to 10 years. It depends on your circumstances. You may end up receiving a fine of 2 million yen just for possessing, and 3 million yen if you founded importing it or growing it in Japan.

What more? You may wonder, when Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, the Japanese government quickly issued warnings for all the Japanese nationals living in Canada if they used cannabis outside of japan. But no known actions have been taken.

Japan, CBD and the cannabis derivative

Since 2016, the selling of CBD products in Japan has been legal, and many companies are producing CBD products. Still, the stigma remains untouched, and the product’s amazing benefits and therapeutic uses remain hidden just because of stringent laws and lack of awareness.

However, the demand for CBD increases each day, and Japanese business owners are trying their best to develop inventive ideas to enable the process.

Efforts Toward Cannabis Legalization

No matter how strict the laws are, the advocates fighting for cannabis legalization in japan don’t stop. They keep working on this issue until they change the legal status of cannabis successfully. These advocates’ lists may not be long enough, but the people behind this issue are well known and reputable. One of them is Green Zone Japan, a Japanese clinical association that raises awareness about cannabinoids.

The green zone is an association aiming to educate the Japanese public and all medical professionals about the medical benefits of cannabis with all the relevant information. Meanwhile, the Japanese clinical association of cannabinoids, established in 2015, partnered with the international association for cannabinoids medicines, which means they also aim to educate and aid cannabinoid research inside Japan.

However, since Japan has been so strict about cannabis, it is seen that even talking publicly about cannabis can get you in trouble. Last year, Japan Today reported that two people were arrested just because they were having a casual discussion about the positive nature of cannabis, and they encouraged others. Just posting messages and praising cannabis got those two people jail time.

Their messages were a bit encouraging, and they were traced and arrested because of a blitz of pro-cannabis messages. The people arrested were male and female who admitted that they violated the act and were responsible for their actions. The ambiguity of this law is rare and difficult.

Conclusion

The world may be legalizing cannabis but not japan because of the lack of awareness and the fear of drug abuse. The hemp growing inside japan is low THC that cannot pose any adverse effects to users. The number of growers is also decreasing. CBD may be legal, but not everyone is aware of it, some cannabis advocates are working to make cannabis legal in japan, but we do not know much time it will take.

If you want to know more about weed, contact us, and we would be happy to assist you.