After Thailand, will Japan be the next Asian country to legalize medicinal cannabis?

Japan has always been a country known for its conservative culture.

They are also notorious for extremely strict drug laws. But that hasn’t stopped many people from using marijuana illegally. In 2021, a police report revealed a record-breaking 5,482 people were arrested for cannabis-related crimes. These numbers have been rising for 8 years, with cannabis use increasing among youth.

Japanese were introduced to the medicinal benefits of cannabis through travel abroad, where liberal use, particularly in North America, makes it easy for them to try marijuana. More and more Japanese are being educated on the benefits of CBD and THC, and now the Ministry of Health is considering legalizing medical marijuana.

On May 25, Japan’s Health Ministry expert panel met to begin discussions on how to amend the cannabis control law, reports The Asahi Shimbun. The law, enacted in 1948, bans both recreational and illicit use of cannabis, although the Japanese cultivated cannabis more than 6,000 years ago. Marijuana is one of Japan’s earliest cultivated crops, and archaeologists have suggested that marijuana fiber was used to make clothing, fishing line, and bow ties. Under the Cannabis Control Act, anyone caught in possession of marijuana faces up to 5 years in prison, and illegal growers can face up to 7 years in prison.

Hopefully the Japanese Ministry of Health can change things up so people can finally enjoy the benefits of marijuana, like in many other countries. Last June 2021, a report was produced by the ministry recommending that the government allow people to use cannabis-made medicines to treat epilepsy after doing it to the United States. Revisions to the cannabis control law will be finalized by the summer.

For the revisions, the department recommends banning marijuana as a substance, although portions of it will be legal. They believe this will make it easier for people to access for medical reasons, which is a big step forward for more people to benefit from the health properties of THC. They will also discuss adding provisions to the law so that recreational use is penalized but medical use is not.

Regulatory loophole, CBD for skin care is famous

Currently, a loophole in the law has legalized CBD, opening up a broad market for a culture known for its extremely health-conscious behavior since 2016. In Tokyo, visitors can already walk into fancy cafes that sell CBD products, although in significantly lower doses. They are also extremely expensive.

Metropolis Japan also reports that Priyanka Yoshikawa, former Miss World Japan, has already started a CBD-infused skin care company. “The latest skincare research proves that CBD can have great effects when applied to the skin. This natural extract is derived from hemp, which has been dubbed a “super plant” because it does a lot more to improve the soil than most plants, such as returning nutrients to the soil around it and making it more fertile,” she said.

Last October 2021, Kotomori, one of the newest startups in Japan, just released the first CBD jelly aimed at helping people with sleep problems, reports Nutra Ingredients Asia. Izuho Tazawa, CEO of Kotomori said, “Sleep problems are common in Japan, so I created a product that helps people get better sleep quality, which in turn leads to less stress.” The product contains CBD as well as erythritol, fruit juice, Citric acid, aroma and a seaweed gelling agent. He said he formulated it in jelly because “you can eat anywhere on the train or in bed, it’s more accessible than oils.” CBD is a journey, so we hope people will enjoy the process of taking our CBD jelly.”

CBD is even available at Don Quijote, one of the largest discounters in the country. But the legality of CBD products would depend on what part of the plant it came from; it must be totally free of THC and the import of CBD without THC is still not regulated.

catching up with other nations

The Group of Seven (G7) is a political grouping of countries including Canada, the United States, Germany, Italy, France and Japan. All countries except Japan have already allowed the use of CBD for epilepsy.

In addition, neighboring Asian country Thailand legalized the medical use of marijuana back in 2020. Cannabis oil is now legal for treatments, and CBD cafes have sprung up across the country so anyone can go and buy a CBD-infused drink. Recreational cannabis use in Thailand is still subject to harsh penalties, but despite being another Asian country with notoriously strict laws punishing drugs, Thailand was a big step forward.

Legalizing the medicinal use of cannabis could have huge benefits for the Japanese economy. Japan’s medicinal cannabis market could be worth $800 million by 2024, according to Prohibition Partners.

However, the Japanese market still has a few hurdles to overcome before the CBD or cannabis market can truly thrive. One is the stigma that still attaches to cannabis use, although attitudes are already changing, especially among young people. The second is the law, although the Department of Health is already working to change that. However, there is a real opportunity for Japan, especially when it comes to educating people and changing the stigma attached to it.

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