2 COMMENTS
Homegrown marijuana problem in Japan +
Japan is facing an increasing marijuana problem. The number of marijuana cases reported for the first half of this year has risen 12 percent (1,202) from last year. If this trend continues, police fear that 2008 will be a record year for marijuana cases. While this number would seem like something a small city in the United States and Europe would report, this is unprecedented in Japan.
Police have said the availability of seeds on the Internet have caused many people to begin growing plants in the comfort of their own home. Japanese law prohibits the growing or possession of marijuana for recreational use. However, it is not against the law to own seeds.
With seeds able to be bought so easily, and an increase of publications showing how to grow the seeds, Japan’s police are bracing themselves for a problem which they have no solution for.
Via The AP.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Grants on 
Santi on 
Keiri on 
My MIXI Profile
Homegrown Marijuana on the Rise…
It seems marijuana is “growing” in popularity in Japan. Apparently it isn’t illegal to own seeds, but growing your own plants is a criminal offense. The numbers are still tiny compared to pretty much every other country, but let me pose the question…
Hmmm. Interesting. I often wondered about this since a number of “head shops” can be found around the Shibuya and Shinjuku areas, especially in Kabukicho. They have the typical Jamaican flag colours, posters of Bob Marley and lots of bongs, bowls and pipes for sale. I thought perhaps it was just a fashion thing since Japan never struck me as a pot-smoking culture, but hey– maybe it’s catching on. I used to smoke, but gave up a while ago.