by Kazuhiko Shirasaka and Shigeru Aso

On November, 2012, the voters of Colorado State and Washington State voted on a new initiative that legalized the recreational use of marijuana. This state level decision contradicts the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, and disputes the International Narcotics Control Board located in Vienna and the World Health Organizations’s international treaties and agreements. Such international organizations have been displaying concern regarding this issue, yet in Europe and many other parts of the world, many countries have laws that prohibit cannabis but actually do not enforce them strictly for small amount possessions.

So the United States legalized recreational cannabis in two states, and regarding medical marijuana, 18 states and Washington D.C. already legalized this, and have achieved goals such as cutting spending on prosecuting and persecuting those who may use, possess, or cultivate marijuana. Taxation perhaps is another issue, for each state has its own laws, but it is clear that  taxation of cannabis will bring a tremendous amount of income for these states that have moved forward.

The Japanese Cannabis Control Act, implemented by the occupying forces of the United States shortly after World War II strictly prohibits the medical and clinical application of cannabis by doctors and researchers. Industrial hemp is permitted, but this requires licensing which is very difficult to obtain.

The clause that prohibits clinical research is promulgated in the Cannabis Control Act – Part 4 section 2 and 3. Currently, the goal of the legalize marijuana movement in Japan is to eliminate this particular clause,  which shall eventually allow cannabis use in various treatment and perhaps as a preventative healthcare measure, and even help those with debilitating medical conditions.

by Kazuhiko Shirasaka, Director of THC JAPAN

TRANSLATED BY: SHIGERU ASO

The cannabis control act is a serious violation of our right to quality life and our right to pursuit happiness, and therefore it is clearly unconstitutional. In the year 2003, I was arrested on purpose for cultivating 300 cannabis plants and I stated the above in the court of law. I was working with another activist and kept providing this wonderful medicine to people with rheumatism, cancer, etc. The cancer patients claimed that their was emmense pain relief, an increase in appetite, and that they were able to finally go to sleep at night. My fellow activist was openly discussing such matters on the internet. It was a matter of time before we both went to jail.

by Shigeru Aso

Historically in Japan, cannabis has been used for many centuries, until the end of World War Two, when Gen. Douglas McArther and the General Head Quarters (GHQ) decided this ‘Godsent’ herb to the Japanese people were immoral, and dangerous to not only the public health of the Japanese people, but to the chemical fiber industry. Until then, cannabis grew all over Japan, and today the Self Defense Force and the Japanese equivelent of DEA goes to such places and burns the plants. Many people don’t realize that our historical crop is the same thing as this ‘dangerous and immoral’ drug.

Propaganda against cannabis is very prevelent in Japan, both from the mass media and the centralized and local governments. It is taboo here to even discuss marijuana, and medical use for cannabis.
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Public information about Cannabis of Japan is a description of the U.S. Pharmaceuticals sample replica of 15 years or more ago
In our country, the Drug Abuse Prevention Center(DAPC) which is an extra-governmental organization of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, is undertaking the education enterprise about the danger of the medicine.
They are making known to Japanese that a Cannabis has various harm.
They have said, “We need to learn exact knowledge about Cannabis sativa that will be a ringleader of a social problem.
And they have said only the bad thing about “physical and psychic influence of Cannabis”.

Under Code 109 of the Customs Act importation of cannabis is punishable by penal servitude of up to five years and or a fine of up to 30,000,000 Yen.

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