In many cases an arrest comes suddenly and without apparent warning. It may be a knock on the door to find several police with a search warrant or you may be apprehended on the street. The shock to family members, co-workers, and friends is further aggravated due to public humiliation as a result of news coverage in the mass media.

In most cases as a suspect, you will lose your job and consequently the ability to support yourself financially. Your situation becomes more extreme if the income of the suspect is the primary source of income for his or her family. If you have a family member, friend or co-worker who is apprehended under the Cannabis Control Law please try with an open mind to understand the true nature of the “so-called” crime which has been committed. The recreational use of cannabis poses no threat to society. Despite the government’s position on the dangers that cannabis use places on society the conclusions are based on myths instead of factual data. With a little open minded research, you will conclude that Cannabis use does not violate any natural laws. Furthermore, the only significant harm associated with cannabis use is the penalties resulting from violating the “man-made” Cannabis Control Law. The only embarrassment or shame associated with cannabis use should be directed to the Supreme Court, Judicial System and law enforcement officials who blindly enforce laws which violate human rights of the individual. The only mistake is the arrest itself. A recent study conducted by “Cannabis – our position for a Canadian public policy“concluded that the negative effects resulting from cannabis use are essentially the same as the effects caused by caffeine. Additionally, in the field of medicine, many researchers have found strong evidence that supports conclusions that cannabis, when used as a medication, is effective in the treatment of a number of illnesses and diseases. In a number of countries cannabis is prescribed and administered as medication for a number of medical conditions. Concerning the relationship between recreational cannabis use and social behavior vs. that of alcohol use and social behavior consider the 2004 Soccer Games in Portugal where use and possession of cannabis is decriminalized for small quantities for personal use. During the games police actively enforced public intoxication ordinances as alcohol abuse was considered a contributing factor to the rioting by hooligans. Coincidently, public cannabis use was mainly allowed to continue without incident. Whether intentional or unintentional, the Government of Japan for many years has been subjecting the population to a propaganda campaign to misinform the public about the dangers that cannabis use inflicts on society. Some of the myths presented to the public through mass media outlets are that Cannabis use is highly addictive, it leads to harder drug use, birth defects, memory loss, chronic disease, anti-social behavior, and violent crime to name a few. While the Government of Japan either refuses to or can not provide scientific data supporting these claims, the penalties for violating the Cannabis Control Law are excessive and inconsistent with any potential danger to society that cannabis use poses according to numerous independent scientific studies conducted worldwide. You are not alone. With knowledge, comes the ability to minimize the consequences of your misfortune. Until the laws are changed, the assistance we can provide is limited. If you are in need of assistance please contact us by email or telephone. and we will assist you as much as possible. When you contact us please provide as many details as possible: The date of and circumstances surrounding apprehension (were you apprehended at the airport, on the street, at home in conjunction with a search warrant, ect…) The charge and quantity Prior arrests and convictions Trail date We may be able to recommend an attorney who can assist in defense for cannabis related cases. We currently know of two attorneys in Tokyo and two in Osaka who are experienced and have aggressively defended suspects in cannabis related cases. We also know of a number of attorneys who have shown less experience in similar cases. If you have any questions concerning the Cannabis Control Law or a related case please feel free to email us at thcjapan@yahoo.co.jp Please inform us of the final outcome of your case or any case you are aware of concerning the Cannabis Control Law. Our goal is to use this information to better serve defendants in cannabis related cases. It is our position that the defendant is in most cases the only victim in regard to these cases. Let us know what information was helpful and what we can do to better serve the public. We hope that we could help you by providing useful information and advice. Knowledge is power. Keep in mind that we are a volunteer non-profit organization funded by donations. We appreciate any donation you can spare to support our cause. If you can not donate we will still assist you. Please pass this information on to any one who may be interested. Thank you for your support.