Japan’s Parliament Passes Bill to Legalize Cannabis Cultivation
1 min read
A revision of the Cannabis Control Law, lifting the ban on pharmaceuticals derived from the marijuana plant but establishing a new crime for the use of marijuana, was passed by a majority vote in the Upper House on Dec. 6, 2023. After patient groups have been calling for access to cannabis-derived cannabidiol medicines already approved in Europe and the United States for conditions such as severe epilepsy.
Under the revised laws, which enter into force within a year from promulgation, The new cannabis regulation will issue two kinds of licenses for growing cannabis including a medical grow license and a hemp grow license. In addition, the existing Cannabis Control Law prohibited the possession of marijuana but did not penalize its use. While tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is still designated as narcotic to be regulated.
Previously, Japan did 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 growing concerns that the lack of a ban on use is promoting drug abuse by young people.
However marijuana has ingredients that are expected to be effective in the treatment of epilepsy and other disorders, so there had been growing calls for the ban to be lifted. So the legal changes associated with cultivation will enter into force two years after announcement.
Data and Origin at KyodoNews and Sensiseeds
