In a historic move to loosen its harsh drug prohibitions, Japan has approved a measure to legalize cannabis-based medications while strengthening its prohibition on marijuana usage for recreational purposes.
The changes to Japan’s cannabis and narcotics control laws passed on Wednesday in the upper house will pave the way for the lifting of a ban on medical products derived from cannabis.
Cannabis-based medicines, produced with the active ingredient cannabidiol, or CBD, are already used overseas to treat various conditions like severe epilepsy.
This is a win for patient groups that have campaigned for access to these medicines.
However the changes amount to a tightening of Japan’s already tough cannabis policy.
Marijuana consumption was criminalized, closing a loophole that officials partly blame for a recent rise in cannabis-related arrests.
Prior to the revisions, inhaling marijuana had been technically legal, as opposed to a jail term of up to five years for possession.
The loophole was originally introduced to prevent farmers from being arrested for accidentally inhaling psychoactive smoke when growing hemp.
However, concerned by the recent upsurge in cannabis-related arrests, particularly involving minors, officials chose to step things up.
Under the revised laws, those caught using or possessing marijuana can face a prison sentence of up to seven years.
Health ministry statistics show the number of arrests related to cannabis hit a record 5,783 in 2021, with a marked rise among teens and those in their 20s.
Additionally, a 2020 police investigation into 748 arrests for marijuana possession revealed that roughly thirty percent of those arrested pointed to the absence of sanctions against marijuana use as a motivating factor.
“As more and more young people gravitate toward abusing marijuana, we hope this revision will put a brake on the trend,” top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said Wednesday after the bill cleared parliament.
