Crimes linked to cannabis, marijuana spreading in Japan

Friday 20th February, 06:24 AM JST

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TokyoXtreme at 10:55 AM JST - 21st February

I want to make a commemorative plaque out of maxthitpro's big post up there. Good stuff.
WMD at 03:53 PM JST - 21st February

This issue　is　so　funny　and　yet　so　stupid.　Marijuana　smoking　is　so　widespread　in　japan,　the　keystones　efforts are just like King Canute's　efforts.　I　can　only　agree　with　many　other　posters　that　the　cops　have　chosen　to focus on this　non　issue　to mask　their　inability　and　incompetence　to　deal　with　the　proper　serious　problems　besetting　the　country today.
LHommeQuiMent at 03:53 PM JST - 21st February

Why not legalize all recreational drugs? Drugs such as cannabis, marijuana, amphetamine, benzodiazepine, barbiturate, methadone, cocaine, heroin. Alcohol and tobacco (which are much more harmful then cannabis) are already legalized and the system works well.

Drug prohibition is very costly and ineffective. If governments would grow and sell highly taxed, legalized drugs, huge tax revenues would be used for much more meaningful causes.

With legalization the problem will be reduced to a simple health issue, and if addicted people die because of recreational drug use, well this would be classified as "natural selection".

All drugs should be legalized and highly taxed. Also the minimum legal smoking/drinking age should be lowered. Why waste extra tax revenue anyway?
ptolemy at 04:52 PM JST - 21st February

Oh my god, pot! Pot, oh my god! In a country drunk as much as this one where daily salary men are puking off the edge of train platforms, where booze is peddled on TV by pro baseball players (Matsuzaka, Ichiro), and sucking down a bowl of sake celebrates any occasion I think things here are a bit misguided toward the green herb. How about some focus on the drunk drivers here in the Sakae area of Nagoya 24/7, and in Roppongi Hills Tokyo 24/7.
linro at 06:27 PM JST - 21st February

There are so many unproven theories about weed to say it simple, the statement by an NPA official who said. ‘‘And there’s misunderstanding among them about the toxicity (of cannabis and marijuana). Probably that’s part of the reason they tried to get into it very easily.’’ Is not true in the way he is trying to make out. If you take heroin, cocaine and any other hard substance including (alcohol abuse) it is all most certain that you will become addicted and you will do anything to get your hands on the stuff. Cannabis and marijuana are none addictive, the way the other hard drugs are (Cold Turkey) and there is plenty of evidence to substantiate this. The NPA official should put his money where his mouth is. The evidence that weed is toxic is a little lame compared to,lets say the toxicity of alcohol. If weed was used for the same reasons as alcohol, I can honestly say there would be far less crime. http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinformation/mentalhealthproblems/alcoholanddrugs/cannabisandmentalhealth.aspx
smithinjapan at 09:31 PM JST - 21st February

Crimes related to cannabis use are only on the rise because investigation of it is on the rise. It would be like if the government of Japan suddenly recognized yakuza human trafficking, and human rights violations in Japan went through the roof overnight. Or if the cops suddenly decided to enforce bicycle laws in Japan, there would be instances of "crime" into the THOUSANDS in less than a day, and probably only in one city. Likewise, if Japan made pot possession into a misdemeanor, for example, instead of a crime, the crime rate with cannabis would suddenly drop.

Anyone who thinks pot was introduced into Japan yesterday is a fool.
trente_sylphs at 09:49 AM JST - 22nd February

Yeaaaahhhhhh! Spread the love Nihon! ~
Nessie at 11:25 AM JST - 24th February

Increased risk of testicular cancer

I think the juries out on that Cleo. Here's another link:

http://wiseperception.com/node/188

Cannabis is a safer drug than aspirin and can be used long-term without serious side effects, says a book by a leading Oxford scientist.

The Science of Marijuana, by Dr Leslie Iversen of Oxford University's department of pharmacology, found many "myths" surrounding marijuana use, such as extreme addictiveness, or links with mental illness or infertility are not supported by science.

He also found cannabis is an inherently "safe drug" which does not lead to cancer, infertility, brain damage or mental illness. Legalisation of the drug for medical conditions should be considered, he says.

Dr Iversen's findings will increase pressure on the Government to reopen the debate about the decriminalisation of marijuana.

The author, a fellow of the prestigious Royal Society, found cannabis was far less toxic than other drugs and had "an impressive record" compared with heroin, cocaine or tobacco and alcohol.

His study showed that the active element of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), which made users high, had a lot of potential as a safe drug to treat Aids patients and people suffering severe pain.

He also found "stoned" drivers were less dangerous and able to co-ordinate than people who were drunk. "By any standards, THC must be considered a very safe drug both acutely and on long-term exposure," he writes. "The available animal data are more than adequate to justify its approval as a human medicine, and indeed it has been approved by the FDA [American drug authority] for certain limited therapeutic indications."

The book says "alarming claims about the harmful effects of long-term exposure to cannabis" should be "put to rest", and there "is no evidence the drug causes any impairment in fertility or sexual function in men or women". He says people who stop using cannabis do not suffer long-term side-effects.

"Cannabis does not cause structural damage to the brains of animals as some reports had claimed, nor is there evidence of long-term damage to the human brain or other than slight residual impairments in cognitive function after drug use is stopped." The author says many adverse effects of cannabis are related to smoking the drug.

But cannabis itself did not appear to cause cancer. Compared with alcohol and cigarettes, which led to more than 100,000 deaths a year, cannabis had a far better record.
jonnyboy at 12:04 PM JST - 24th February

how in the hell does anyone honestly believe that a "war" can be fought and won against a plant? do people honestly believe they will be able to totally remove the existence of a fairly hardy shrub from the face of this planet? surely if one believes in the war on drugs then this must be the only "sane" eventual goal.

the glaring inconsistencies in modern drug policy are plain to see to anyone with the lightest of analytical abilities (alcohol/tobacco legal, cannabis illegal), yet most people seem keen to shut their eyes to the facts. they can't bear the implications of exposing holes in the orthodoxy
maxtheitpro at 07:33 PM JST - 24th February

@paolo27th:

Hey maxtheitpro, you do realise that this article is about Japan, right?

Yes, I do! My point is that the cause & effects of this stupid War on Cannibis are all the same...doesn't matter if it's in North America or Japan.
depasio at 11:09 AM JST - 26th February

With the suicide rate in Japan so high i really think they need to legalize medical marijuana. If a person is contemplating suicide and smokes some of the herb, their mind will dwell on various ascpects of life they never normally think about, the little things in everydy life will seem magical, their focus on the future will be more solid. They will feel at one with their creator. dont legalise pot in Japan so all the dumb kids can smoke it to be cool, herb is for meditation and relaxation it is the healing of the nation. If nakagawa smoked pot instead of drinking and taking pills , he would still be the minister of finance
depasio at 11:10 AM JST - 26th February

the only thing is everybody would claim a case of suicide
whatadick at 06:49 PM JST - 26th February

BBLEO:

Who is causing most of car accident (hit-and- run) on the roads in Japan and around the world? Who is driving trhough red lights? Who is commiting robery for drugs? 'Not Drug Lords and their Mules! But their suckers'

I think you will find way, way, way more cases of drunk people driving through red lights and causing car accidents. WAAAY MORE! You won't even have to try very hard. I wouldn't be surprised if people on flu meds have caused more accidents than those high on pot.

I'm connected with SA every day, even staff of SAA is trafficking that s**t. Go to SA daily news and you will learn all about their style of living.

Just because you read South African news doesn't mean you know anything about the place. I am South African and I promise you that what you read in the papers is nowhere near an accurate reflection of our 'style of living'. Would you accept it if South Africans reading JapanToday think that the Japanese are drunks and perverts?

Also, I think the articles that you mentioned don't prove anything regarding the dangers of cannabis or crimes commited BECAUSE of cannabis, as other posters have already pointed out. Try being critical occassionaly.

You don't have to try drugs; it is enough to watch others with their behavior

Ummm...if you have ever seen people who are high on marijuana (or tried it yourself and developed your own opinion) you would see that it really is not a danger to anyone or anything...except maybe the nearest refrigerator.

check this link, have a laugh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWhUqo9Aivs

there's some truth in there.
wtfdude at 09:40 PM JST - 26th February

First of all, jt, cannabis and marijuana is the same thing. It's like saying booze, alcohol, drinking cause problems in the same sentence.

Illegal? Yeah, it's a big fat bonus for the growers and dealers. Watch the Union, the business behind getting high. The Canadian model works, grow weed, smoke weed, keep out of trouble and the cops keep out of your grow op. Whack your competition or steal electricity, five o come kick down your door. Sell to kids, you should go to jail.

Say you are suffering from a terminal disease and bedridden. What would you choose to alleviate your pain? Morphine based to make you feel zoned out all the time or cannabis to help you with your ailments and still keep a pretty clear head?

One poster here mentioned some people never come back from their 'trip'. You can say the same about car driving, once you're to driving your fat, lazy ass around, you get hooked on 4 wheels.

Smoking cannabis hasn't killed anybody, not without combination with other drugs, usually alcohol. And no, cannabis is not a gateway drug unless you count sugar in munchie food.

The number of products we can make from cannabis? By 1937, in the united states along, there were some 25,000 products that could be produced from this 'deadly drug' everything from twine, explosives, soap, fabric, lubricating oil, car bodies(Henry Ford) etc etc etc. Name me one other plant in the world that can produce so many useful stuff.

Yeah, all those going off against cannabis, tell me what kind of crack you're smoking, buddy.
Nessie at 11:37 PM JST - 26th February

Sumo wrestlers, actors and college students caught for marijuana possession are apparently proving to be just the tip of the iceberg as police authorities say the number of cannabis-related crimes has risen to record levels in Japan

What Ke11 said. The headline is misleading. It suggests that possession of weed is causing other crimes. The correct headline should be "Arrests for cannibus possession rising."

‘‘There has obviously been an increasing number of occasions in which people get cannabis seeds or learn how to grow it,’’ an NPA official said. ‘‘And there’s misunderstanding among them about the toxicity (of cannabis and marijuana). Probably that’s part of the reason they tried to get into it very easily.’’

What a moron. Cannabis is less toxic that aspirin. Less toxic than water, in fact.

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/nahas1.htm