The Japanese government has faced an increasingly problematic rise in marijuana use over the past few years. Faced with what it perceives to be an immense threat to its populace, the Japanese Government has instituted a major crack down on cannabis use in the hope of preventing it from spreading further. Whether or not the efforts to halt the spread of marijuana use will be successful is an entirely different issue, nonetheless the Japanese government has deemed such action necessary in light of a string of high profile arrests that begun late last year and have continued on into 2009. These arrests have garnered much attention from Japanese law enforcement officials, and have captured national media attention as well.

According to The Japan Times Online, “A National Police Agency report said there were 3,832 pot-related cases involving 2,778 offenders in 2008, up 16.8 percent and 22.3 percent, respectively, compared with 2007 and an all-time high.” (As a side note, to an American, these numbers may seem puny when compared to the number of cannabis offenses that occur in the  United States.  Bear in mind that cannabis culture is much less developed in Japan due to the Taima Torishimari Ho , but has been growing steadily as these numbers indicate). Overall, statistical data reveals that the spike in marijuana offenses is largely attributable to Japanese youths in their teens and early twenties, with figures indicating that this group comprises 65.5% of total marijuana offenders. The numbers also indicate that for the first half of 2008 there was roughly a 12% rise in the number of marijuana-related cases (Note: this does not mean only arrests, as this statistic includes those situations where suspects were merely questioned) from the previous year. Further, the number of cases involving marijuana cultivation has also increased by approximately 50%.

Perhaps directly correlating to the increase in home-grow operations in Japan, the Japanese University system now faces a “problematic” increase in the number of university students being arrested for cannabis crimes. Dozens of university students have been arrested in 2008 over alleged possession or dealing of marijuana. Prestigious institutions such as Keio University (Tokyo), Hosei University (Tokyo), and Kansai University (Osaka) have been infiltrated by cannabis culture, with some students revealing that use of the drug has become almost commonplace (one student even revealed that he often witnessed other students smoking pot in their University library). The majority of implicated marijuana users fall under the age of 29, and a smaller but growing percentage amongst this group are University students. In a recent article, the Japan Times Online noted the following:

“In November 2007, police arrested two student athletes, both members of the rugby club at Kanto Gakuin University, on suspicion of growing cannabis in their apartments. It was later found that 12 members of the club smoked cannabis. The list of university students arrested on suspicion of growing, possessing or selling marijuana goes on: three Kansai University students in May 2008, a Doshisha University student in September, five Hosei University students by the end of September and two Keio University students in October. It was also learned that police arrested three Waseda University students and two students of the Science University of Tokyo for allegedly growing or trying to import cannabis.”

Despite the harsh punishments doled out by the Japanese government, it is likely that the use of marijuana will only spread further. This can be attributed to the fact that, despite the illegality of marijuana possession and use, current Japanese laws do not make the sale and possession of marijuana seeds illegal. Those involved in the trade can bypass any liability by placing a warning on their products noting that it is illegal to grow cannabis in Japan. This rather peculiar loophole in Japan’s laws presents law enforcement officials with a unique and potentially never ending battle to keep marijuana out of their citizens’ hands. Cannabis can actually be found growing on certain islands in the open, and with it being relatively easy to obtain marijuana seeds, more and more crops are popping up in different parts of the island.

Part of the reason that officials believe home grow operations are becoming more widespread is that in today’s modern society, obtaining information is as easy as turning on a computer.  Several students who were interviewed by the police stated that learning how to grow and cultivate marijuana was easy because of the plethora of information that is now available on the internet.  Additionally, with cigarette smoking as common as it is in Japan, it is possible that students have researched cannabis well enough to figure out that while cigarettes are lethally dangerous, there has been no scientific evidence to show that smoking marijuana is deadly.

If Japan truly wants to contain the spread of marijuana, law enforcement officials will have to make changes in its laws to make the sale and possession of seeds illegal as well. Such change will likely meet stiff resistance, as cannabis seeds are considered by some to be a rare and exotic garnish for certain dishes, as well as an important aspect of Shinto religious ceremonies. In all likelihood, Japanese officials will have a difficult time containing marijuana use unless dramatic measures are taken to keep it out of the hands of young Japanese.

Sources and Related Articles:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123612257155123461.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090221a3.html

Edited by KuSH.