weed in japan?

[fyce]

i just got a few questions:
- is it allowe 2 smoke weed in japan (how strict r the laws?)
-is it allowed 2 cultivate weed in japan?
-is it used 2 japanese people 2 smoke weed?

[Mandylion]

-No,
-No,
and,
-No

Japan has very strict drug laws. I don't have the time to look them up for you, but if you are caught with weed, it is not unusual to do five years (grapevine) in a Japanese prision. You will probably not just be deported. Jails in Japan are not nice places and your embassy has more important things to do than worry about you if you are strung up for drug possession. Unless you happen to be a drummer for the Beatles that is, but I'm guessing you are not. If your friend(s) send it to you in the mail, even if you don't know about it, you are just as guilty.
You cannot grow it. If you are caught, you will go to prision.
If you come to Japan, or are in Japan, find another hobby (that is, if weed is your hobby. No offense intended). It is not a joking matter here.

[fyce]

of course y'all know i don't do drougs!
i wuz just curiously....

[Mandylion]

Sorry- I used "you" too much. I didn' mean you in particular. I'll watch that in the future. Cheers-

[JimBeam]

Those are some tough penalties. I mean 5 years for simple possession if that was what you ment. I have always been very interested in international drug law. From what I understand from this thread it seems that Japan is even more hardcore against drugs than the Christian Fundamentalist States of America or the United States of America as it is officialy reconized. When will governments learn that prohibision does not work, all it does is create organized crime and governmental corruption. Atleast thats true for the US and logically I assume that Japan faces similar problems as a side effect of drug prohibision. And now that is seem to be going on a full blown rant I might as well go on about why I think drugs should be legal in the US, and really this could apply anywhere else for that matter. I come from an impoverished area of the US infact we'er in about a 3 way tie for porest state in the union with Arkansas and Mississippi. Now this is a place where candidates for shariff and other elected law enforcement positions actually put out hits on their opposition for control of local blackmarket. If there wasn't drug prohibision much of this corruption would not be here. This is also an area where many people can nolonger feed there families as either their farms nolonger make a profit, or they were layed off and cannot find other work as they had to dropout of school to in the first place to feed their families. People like this turn to the only viable source of income growing pot purely for substinance, and maybe help put one of their lucky children through school. Thats all fine untill the pigs get wind of it then they arrest the parents maybe the children, and then take their home, their land, and thier car if they were fortunate enough to have one. They are left with nothing leaving. If drugs were legalized these people would not have to endure such hardship they may have been able to make a better life for their children, but no the downward spiral just intensifies. Then ofcourse there is what the US is doing to South America for the drug war, but that is a subject is deserving of its own speacial thread. I'll just say we've killed more people in the drug war than drugs ever thought about.

[Mandylion]

Could be less than five, maybe more, depends on how everybody feels at the moment. What I know about the drug laws is what I have been told in orientations and second-hand accounts. Basically they all tell you don't even mess around with the stuff or be in the same room. Depending on the cops who bust you (or the place) just your physical presence might be enough to earn you a long series of questions at the local police station. I could be wrong on this too, but the police can hold you without charge for some insane amount of time (talkin' weeks here) until they decide if you are guilty or not. How else could to cops get a 90% conviction rate on cases that go to trial? Bottom line; don't mess with drugs in Japan.

[Chipi]

Originally posted by Mandylion
Could be less than five, maybe more, depends on how everybody feels at the moment. What I know about the drug laws is what I have been told in orientations and second-hand accounts. Basically they all tell you don't even mess around with the stuff or be in the same room. Depending on the cops who bust you (or the place) just your physical presence might be enough to earn you a long series of questions at the local police station. I could be wrong on this too, but the police can hold you without charge for some insane amount of time (talkin' weeks here) until they decide if you are guilty or not. How else could to cops get a 90% conviction rate on cases that go to trial? Bottom line; don't mess with drugs in Japan.

Uh.Sounds scary.
I definetly donｴt have these drug things as my hobby, but I do love music, and I love a good ug club,party etc...I love them for the music, but some people do love them and use them for "other" reasons..
So, if I should be so lucky, and go to Japan, and even find a party...people might be doing some illegal things there, and the police shows up - This means I might be in big trouble even I am innocent?
Thatｴs sad :(

Even though, I think the same thing goes allmost as hard here in good old home, Finland..

[fyce]

i just wanted 2 say doin' drugs is
generally a bad thing but i want 2 seperate
the weed from the others coz alcohol
for example is much worse u know.

so keep on smokin'! :clap:

[Mandylion]

It depends, all in all you probably will be okay. Thing is, foreigners and cops in Japan don't really see eye to eye a lot of the time. This is a generalization, but often foreigners are singled out for extra police attention simply because they are not Japanese. It would not be beyond the pale or reasonablity that if a club is busted for drugs (which in three years of living in Japan I have not seen on the news) Mr/Ms Foreigner will get some extra heat. I can't speak to the drug culture in Japan so I will go lurk in some other threads.

[Chipi]

Originally posted by Mandylion
It depends, all in all you probably will be okay. Thing is, foreigners and cops in Japan don't really see eye to eye a lot of the time. This is a generalization, but often foreigners are singled out for extra police attention simply because they are not Japanese. It would not be beyond the pale or reasonablity that if a club is busted for drugs (which in three years of living in Japan I have not seen on the news) Mr/Ms Foreigner will get some extra heat. I can't speak to the drug culture in Japan so I will go lurk in some other threads.

Okay. Thatｴs pretty much the feeling I had too...I guess the "Rei Shimura" books Iｴve been reading arenｴt that far from reality after all ;)

[Gosai]

C:/ Dont forget about the remy.. You can hit that and don't have to be noid... Weed can be like a roman candle in crowded places. so you spend a lot of time wondering if anyone can smell it. worryed about doing 5 years in a japanese pen while you trying to mellow out... An that aint coo

[Mike Cash]

Japan has very strict drug laws. I don't have the time to look them up for you, but if you are caught with weed, it is not unusual to do five years (grapevine) in a Japanese prision.

I had time:

第６章　罰　則　

第24条　大麻を、みだりに、栽培し、本邦若しくは外国に輸入し、又は本邦若しくは外国から輸出した者は、 ７年以下の懲役に処する。

(Importing or exporting weed will get you up to 7 years)

２　営利の目的で前項の罪を犯した者は、10年以下の懲役に処し、又は情状により10年以下の懲役及び30 0万円以下の罰金に処する。

(But if you're doing it with intent to sale/distribute the stuff, up to 10 years and/or up to 3 million yen)

３　前２項の未遂罪は、罰する。

(Even failed attempts to break the law will be punished)　

第24条の２　大麻を、みだりに、所持し、譲り受け、又は譲り渡した者は、５年以下の懲役に処 する。

(Possession will get you up to 5 years)

２　営利の目的で前項の罪を犯した者は、７年以下の懲役に処し、又は情状により７年以下の懲役及び200万 円以下の罰金に処する。

(But if you're doing it with intent to sale/distribute the stuff, up to 7 years and/or up to 2 million yen)

３　前２項の未遂罪は、罰する。

(Failed attempts....you guessed it....go to jail just the same)


I would like to point out that Japanese prisons still have forced labor.

[Keiichi]

I was watching this Japanese show some time ago and some foreigner dude had posession of about 26lb (or was it kg, I don't remember) and got 10 years for it.
According to what mikecash found, I guess the guy was going to sell it. :p

[mad pierrot]

But be careful. If you're innocent, but in the wrong place at the wrong time..................

[DragonChan]

I don't know. Sounds pretty good to me. I absolutely HATE going to school and listening to people talk about going out to 'smoke', and just trying to figure out if they're high or not (it can be hard to tell with some people.)

It'll be nice to go somewhere where I don't have to deal with that stuff.

[babar-san]

forgive me if im wrong, but isnt weed in japan called Taima? i for one do not see any harm in pot smoking. many ppl who bash it dont have any experience with it, i agree with Fyce, it is much less dangerouse than alcohol, but should still be a controlled substence.
im not advocating its use, but you have to look at the facts. here in the united states, 50,000 ppl a year are killed from drinking and driving. also, in the 10,000 yrs it has been used, no one has ever died from "smoking pot", so id say that japans laws are a little harsh.

[jampot]

wow!! this is news to me!! i'm a heavy smoker and i was hoping i could get away with growing a few plants for personnal use, but i guess i'll forget it. no way am i getting banged up in Japan!!!

btw.....babar-san, good words

[TwistedMac]

Weed can be like a roman candle in crowded places. so you spend a lot of time wondering if anyone can smell it.

hehe, oh they do.. you NEVER miss it when someone lights up anywhere near you.

[RockLee]

yeah...you like smell it from a distance.... :souka: just don't do drugs...no matter if it's soft or hard...it's useless + it costs a lot...ga have sex...gets you into extacy too and doesn't cost a thing(if you got a gf or are married) ;-)

[Glenn]

Well, there are those that would say that having a gf or being married costs you a lot. Also, sometimes you pay for sex without actually paying for sex, you know what I mean?

Aside from that, I don't think that weed is such a big deal, and it certainly isn't as big a deal as Japanese law makes it out to be. Some people like it, others don't. They should be able to decide for themselves whether they use it.

Also, I just saw this:
forgive me if im wrong, but isnt weed in japan called Taima?

And this:
第６章　罰　則　

第24条　大麻を、みだりに、栽培し、本邦若しくは外国に輸入し、又は本邦若しくは外国から輸 出した者は、 ７年以下の懲役に処する。

So there you have it.

[gokarosama]

Weed is readily obtainable in most areas, metropolitan or rural. Getting caught, as a foreigner, means either your visa or eight years in jail if you're growing it.

Be warned.

[Index]

At the risk of sounding like I condone drugs, the drug scene in Tokyo is just as 'developed' as in any other major city. Irrespective of the laws, I've come accross almost everything. Up until two or three years ago, magic mushrooms weren't illegal and you could order them on the internet and have them delivered, if you couldn't be bothered going to Shinjuku and buying them at a stand. Speed is pretty popular amongst high school kids too.

[Shooter452]

If you are asking my advice, it is not worth the risk.

But since I believe that your mind is made up one way or the other, here is the rundown. Don't. If you do, do not get caught. If they catch you, spend every yen you can beg, borrow, steal, or lay your hands on not to be convicted (and I tell you in advance from dealing with the Japanese legal system when I was on Okinawa, they do not lose at trial very often, so hope there is low-to-non-existant). If you get convicted, fight like hell to mitigate the sentance. When that fails, kiss your ass goodbye 'cause you're gonna be inside a while and it ain't Long Beach liberty in a Japanese prison.

OTOH, when I was last in Japan you could legally purchase drugs from a chemist's shop that here would get you high and would also buy you time in Riker's Island.

Dura lex, sed lex.

[m477]

I'm sure it's no problem so don't waste your time trying to Google for Japanese laws or whatever. What you should do is when you go to Japan, go ahead and bring several ounces of real dank sh!t with you. Then if the customs agents try to harsh your mellow, just tell them it's all good and offer to share a couple fat blunts. After that everything will be cool and they'll send you on your way.

[Index]

One time when a friend and I borrowed a bicycle after we missed the last train we were held at a police station for about five hours! It was such bullshit, we finally got released with a slap on the wrist, but totally ruined our evening if you know what I mean. Actually, when the cops rocked up, it was my friend who was riding the bike, so he was actually charged-they took his photo, fingerprints etc, but finally after five hours they gave him a form to sign which basically stated that he was caught doing something naughty, but by the leniency of the police if he promises not to do it again, they will let him go.

As an aside, I think it was a sting, so to speak. We spent about an hour looking for a bike to borrow but they were all locked up. After we had given up, we stumbled upon one standing innocently under a tree without a lock. It was only when my friend jumped on it that I noticed the koban on the other side of the street...

Before we were taken to the police station proper, one older keisatsu kept (it seemed) getting me to admit that we were drunk. Coming from a culture were being drunk when you commit a misdeameanor only makes things work, I kept denying that we had been drinking, but in hindsight I think he was trying to help. In Japan, I was to learn later, a lot of things can be explained and sometimes justified by saying you were drunk.

[bossel]

We spent about an hour looking for a bike to borrow but they were all locked up. After we had given up, we stumbled upon one standing innocently under a tree without a lock. It was only when my friend jumped on it that I noticed the koban on the other side of the street...
That's what you call borrowing?

[TwistedMac]

I don't know the general code of ethics in Poland, but in Sweden that's called stealing. Locked or no.

[gokarosama]

If you get caught with drugs of any kind, you can kiss your visit to Japan goodbye. That includes the future.

[cicatriz esp]

So meth is fairly prevalent there? It's everywhere in southern California. Now there's a no fail way to ruin your life.

[lexico]

one older keisatsu kept (it seemed) getting me to admit that we were drunk. Coming from a culture were being drunk when you commit a misdeameanor only makes things work, I kept denying that we had been drinking, but in hindsight I think he was trying to help. In Japan, I was to learn later, a lot of things can be explained and sometimes justified by saying you were drunk.I heard one Asian guy tried to explain away his abnoxious misbehavior the previous night (singing, shouting, vomiting) by blaming it on the alcohol. That didn't work on his American landlady who treated him like an alcoholic after that. But your reasoning would make sense. It's also polite, at least less infuriating to blame something on the many drinks you had. Not perfect, but understandable.

[Index]

That's what you call borrowing?

We do silly things sometimes....

[Shooter452]

I'm sure it's no problem so don't waste your time trying to Google for Japanese laws or whatever. What you should do is when you go to Japan, go ahead and bring several ounces of real dank sh!t with you. Then if the customs agents try to harsh your mellow, just tell them it's all good and offer to share a couple fat blunts. After that everything will be cool and they'll send you on your way.
Oh, yeah! That's good advice. You do that. Let me know how it comes out.

Of course, we may be some time in hearing the news. Sending and receiving mail are privilages in Japanese prisons--suspendable by any of the officials at the prison in which you reside, for any infraction.

Gutta cavat lapidem non bis, sed saepe cadendo; sic homo fit sapiens bis non, sed saepe legendo. Homines quod volunt credunt. Experto credite.

[Rich303]

I have a friend who is a lot older than me who has been packing some smoke (very small amounts)when he goes on holiday for years,in many different countries.
However,he is very careful, and doesn't smoke in public.
I have occasionally done the same.
I am aware of the risks in Japan if you are caught, but do the authorities (e.g Police/Customs)actively seek out people to bust for a bit of weed? Could a bit of common sense and discretion be what is required to stay out of trouble?

[Pachipro]

I answered that question in your customs thread. YES THEY DO! By all means DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT CARRYING ANY DRUGS OVER TO JAPAN. Weed or other. You will be in more trouble than you think if you get caught. Think about what happened to Paul McCartney when he got busted in Japan. He was in jail for more than a week and he was refused entry into Japan for 10 years I think.

I myself was busted in Japan for hash back in '87 when I had my own English school. It's a long story and maybe if enough are interested, I'll post it. It was not a good experience, but luckily, the Japanese police are not as bad as you you think and I did not receive the same fate as Paul McCartney although I was in jail for 2 weeks with not so much as one phone call allowed to let somebody know where I was. I was not kicked out of the country however.

[FireyRei]

Don't bother.

I had a policeman put his hand on his gun screaming at me cause he believed I'd called him stupid (in Japanese), when I had not. Straight to the consulate, they called & spoke with the Chief of Police, and he offered me cash to keep it quiet. Refused & forgot. Some Police are just too anti-foreigner to bother fooking with.

[ginyu]

ga have sex...gets you into extacy too ...

have u ever tried the smoking thing before the sex thing? :flower:

[okitasan]

its funny you know, hemp used to be a major crop in japan (and a lot of other countries) a long long time ago.

[ginyu]

its funny you know, hemp used to be a major crop in japan (and a lot of other countries) a long long time ago.

in europe, we currently have some programs runned by the goverments to animate farmers to grow hemp . a kind of revival. of course only not potent plants (below 0,5 per cent thc-content, you could smoke a ton of it and it only will make u puke). i thinks it very important to correct the image of that wonderful plant, because it can be used for so many things (such as heat-isolation for houses, ropes, clothing, oil, make-up etc. etc.), it grows quickly and is pretty robust.
the drug aspect's very interesting too. in fact, it was legal here to smoke pot about 50 years ago. then the US dudes (no offense, i talkin' about the alcohol lobby) got the great reefer-madness-idea talkin bullshit all the time about the roots of hell and how it makes people kill each other...). :okashii:
but in my country the weed-laws are pretty lax (not the laws themselves, but the cops aren't really interested in the endusers, they just look for dealers and coffee shops). so if you have less than 2 or 3 grams in your pocket, it's pretty likely that nothing happens at all. had some friends who got caught directly in a coffee shop in vienna, all the had to do is to make a statement to blame to coffee shop, that's all. according to a recent study, way over 20 per cent of the austrian population has tried weed, about one fourth of the young people say that they smoke every now and then, about 10 %regularily.
we also have an annual demonstration were cannabis-users meet to show society that we aren't the antisocial, spoiled, unkempt, workless kids people take us for. on that special day, cops even tolerate if u are walkin through the streets, with a spliff in your mouth.
this summer im goin' to the netherlands to check out how these guys handle that topic :p

[Rich303]

I answered that question in your customs thread. YES THEY DO! By all means DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT CARRYING ANY DRUGS OVER TO JAPAN. Weed or other. You will be in more trouble than you think if you get caught. Think about what happened to Paul McCartney when he got busted in Japan. He was in jail for more than a week and he was refused entry into Japan for 10 years I think.

I myself was busted in Japan for hash back in '87 when I had my own English school. It's a long story and maybe if enough are interested, I'll post it. It was not a good experience, but luckily, the Japanese police are not as bad as you you think and I did not receive the same fate as Paul McCartney although I was in jail for 2 weeks with not so much as one phone call allowed to let somebody know where I was. I was not kicked out of the country however.


Thanks again Pachipro -
I won't bother with the green power on my holiday. I don't think my nerves could take it! I'll have to seek pleasure in other things.
Cheers for the advice...the R

[jayrecords]

Hi, I'm new in this forum...
I smoke weed so lets imagine i'm living in Japan, and i'm a weed smoker if i grow my weed at home just one plant .. smoke it at home i will never have problems right?

Or Even if i buy weed to someone and i save it in home i will never have problems .. right?

In my country police don't do much they cath us on the street we some weed or hash if we have a lot they took us to the police station and make a lot fo questions ..like .. Who sell us the drug etc.. but if we only have like 2 or 3 spliffs they dont do much to us .. maybe they keep the drug for them and we lose like 3 spliffs nothing more.. But if we get caought with a lot of weed/hash that's a problem

[pipokun]

...
smoke it at home i will never have problems right?
Or Even if i buy weed to someone and i save it in home i will never have problems .. right?

You will be arrested in the cases above, even though there are some loud human right activists in Japan.
http://www.cannabist.org/index.html

Japan is a public-intoxication friendly country, so just drink beer.

Two Japanese smugglers have been sentenced to death in China recently. Be careful when you travel around Asia.

[bakaKanadajin]

Hi, I'm new in this forum...
I smoke weed so lets imagine i'm living in Japan, and i'm a weed smoker if i grow my weed at home just one plant .. smoke it at home i will never have problems right?

Or Even if i buy weed to someone and i save it in home i will never have problems .. right?

In my country police don't do much they cath us on the street we some weed or hash if we have a lot they took us to the police station and make a lot fo questions ..like .. Who sell us the drug etc.. but if we only have like 2 or 3 spliffs they dont do much to us .. maybe they keep the drug for them and we lose like 3 spliffs nothing more.. But if we get caought with a lot of weed/hash that's a problem

I think you missed some of the information contained in the above posts. It's illegal to possess, grow, sell, smoke and generally have anything to do with marijuana in Japan. I appreciate that other countries have different laws but what happens in your country is of no relevance in Japan. In Japan, Japanese law dictates that marijuana is illegal in all situations so you'd be best to stay away from it.

[jayrecords]

Right but marijuana is illegal in my country too..

Police don't know what i buy or i grow at home for self consume .. so if i don't walk with marijuana in my pocket i will never be caught..

Oh i didnt knew that Asian country were so hard about drugs :s

Thanks for the link but i can't read japanese :(

[Mike Cash]

Oh i didnt knew that Asian country were so hard about drugs :s


The prisons in Thailand are full of Europeans who didn't know that.

And you might be interested to know that Japanese prison terms include forced labor.

[bakaKanadajin]

A slight tangent since you brought it up a couple of times, I think forced labour is a great thing. I was appauled to find an article in our local paper one day that stated prison inmates got fed better than people in some hospital wards. The average cost to prepare a meal for an inmate was something like $11, while it was only $7 for the patient. And the PATIENT is the one that needs the nutrition.

I say put them to work cleaning up highways or doing whatever they do, they're full of calories and not doing much else but watching TV all day.

[Taiko666]

I once got chatting to American in small bar <somewhere in Tokyo!> who claimed to have been busted several times for possession in Japan, but who's never actually done time. He then produced one of the fattest joints I've ever seen from his top pocket, whereupon my well-honed sense of self-preservation kicked in and I bid him good-day. (He claimed to have been in Japan since going AWOL from the Navy in the 70s... I subsequently overheard him informing a female customer that he was a Aussie on the run... oh well...)

Anyway, that's not to suggest I'd ever risk my own hide in Japan through imprudent enjoyment of herbs.

Another slight aside: Whatever one's views on drug prohibition, I think it's refreshing to see a senior public figure fearlessly proposing radical alternatives:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7038552.stm

[Pachipro]

Take it from me, if you want to know what it is like to be arrested in Japan for a miniscule amount of weed (less than a joint), just try it and get caught. You'll be in for the nightmare of your life. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

[centrajapan]

How else could to cops get a 90% conviction rate on cases that go to trial?

I think in Japan the police can detain you longer than in Europe. I dont know the exact details but in Norway it is 24 or was that 48 hours where as in Japan it much longer. I heard someone say 3 weeks. I am not sure if this is true or not.

[Kyoto Returnee]

of course y'all know i don't do drougs!
i wuz just curiously....

It's illegal in Japan and being caught with some personal for yourself, will mean being locked up, which I can assure you will not be easy time In Japan.

Their prisons are as bad as their whale hunting techniques and you would not want to be on the receiving end!

Keep away from the stuff well and truly!

[centrajapan]

CANNABIS NOW WORSE THAN THE NAZIS

During the Sixties smoking dope was hardly evil at all, and the drug was more playful and slightly naughty, but in a nice way, a bit like Kenneth Williams.

In the Seventies and Eighties marijuana briefly became totally harmless and could be smoked by future Cabinet ministers up to the rank of Home Secretary without any effect on their brains whatsoever.

However, a massive increase in the strength of the drug since politicians all stopped using it has now made it more nasty and brutish than the combined evil of the Third Reich.

A spokesman for the University said: “The Nazi’s were very bad people but even they could not make a middle class white boy adopt dreadlocks for a hairstyle, or make a highly intelligent middle aged man crawl around the floor of his laboratory in his underpants weeping with laughter about nothing at all, and then eat his own weight in marshmallows.”

Following the promotion of cannabis to the top spot in the evilness rankings the top ten most evil things in the world are:

1. (-) Cannabis
2. (2) Tobacco
3. (4) Debt consolidation ads featuring Carol Vorderman
= 5. (1) Richard and Judy
= 5. (3) The Nazis
6. (-) Heathrow Airport
7. (5) Prince Phillip
8. (7) Joseph Stalin
9. (-) Noel Edmonds
10. (10) The Devil and all his minions

(Previous position in brackets)

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/cannabis-now-worse-than-the-nazis-20070801315/