More suspects apprehended over cannabis than illegal stimulants in Japan 1st

March 21, 2024 (Mainichi Japan)

Japanese version

(Mainichi)
TOKYO -- The number of people apprehended for cannabis-related violations in Japan surpassed that of illegal stimulant offenders in 2023 for the first time in 65 years, according to the National Police Agency (NPA).

The NPA on March 21 announced statistics on a nationwide police crackdown on illegal drugs in 2023. A total of 6,482 people were apprehended on suspicion of cannabis offenses, up 21.3% from the previous year and the highest figure since statistics began in 1958. Meanwhile, the number of people apprehended in connection with illegal stimulants stood at 5,914, down 3.4%.

The number of cannabis apprehensions in 2023 was about 3.7 times the corresponding figure of 1,761 recorded in 2014. Three out of four offenders were aged between 10 and 29. While organized crime groups, which often handle illegal stimulants as a source of funding, have decreased in influence, it is believed that young people are easily obtaining marijuana through social media and other means.

According to the NPA, cannabis use is associated with hallucinations, memory loss and a tendency to develop depression. The street value per gram of marijuana is 5,000 yen (roughly $33) compared to 66,000 yen (approx. $440) for illegal stimulants. Since the use of marijuana is scheduled to be criminalized as the revised Cannabis Control Act goes into effect this year, the NPA believes that the number of marijuana apprehensions may further increase in 2024.

By age group, 3,545 individuals in their 20s were apprehended over cannabis offenses in 2023, accounting for 54.7% of the total. This was followed by 1,222 offenders between the ages of 10 and 19, accounting for 18.9%, and 974 in their 30s at 15.0%. A total of 235 of those apprehended were university students.

Because about 97% of offenders in their 10s were aged between 16 and 19, the NPA said it hoped to conduct publicity and awareness-raising activities targeting first-year high school students.

Meanwhile, the number of people apprehended in connection with dangerous drugs in 2023 reached 424, up 52.0% from the previous year. The figure had been trending downward after peaking in 2015, but began to increase again in 2022. The following year saw a string of health problems involving people who ate "cannabis gummies," which contain ingredients similar to those in marijuana. The NPA is calling for caution, saying, "Dangerous drugs such as marijuana gummies are highly hazardous as it's unclear what ingredients they contain."

(Japanese original by Atsushi Matsumoto, Tokyo City News Department)