Sept 12 2024
Japan will criminalize cannabis use and legalize medical products using substances derived from the plant under revised relevant laws, both effective on Dec. 12, the health ministry said Thursday.
While the possession and cultivation of marijuana are already banned in Japan, the country will prohibit its use as well, setting a prison sentence of up to seven years for violation.
Currently, Japan does not penalize cannabis use, partly to protect farmers who may accidentally absorb its substances while growing it for use in hemp products. But it reversed its stance amid increasing concerns that the lack of a ban on use is promoting drug abuse by young people.
Japan will also permit the use of cannabis-derived medical products. Drugs made from cannabis plants are currently only permitted in clinical trials.
However, patient groups have called for access to cannabis-derived cannabidiol medicines, which have already been approved in Europe and the United States to treat conditions such as severe epilepsy.
