Japan Diet Legalizes Cannabis-Derived Medicines

Japan's parliament has passed a bill to legalize medical products using substances derived from cannabis, according to Kyodo News.

The revised laws, which will take effect within a year of promulgation, designate cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive chemical found in the plant, as narcotics to be regulated.

The new legislation addresses a loophole in existing prohibitions against the drug by criminalizing its use. Currently, drugs made from cannabis plants are only permitted in clinical trials in Japan.

However, patient groups have been advocating for access to cannabis-derived cannabidiol medicines that are already approved in Europe and the US for conditions such as severe epilepsy.

The revised laws, which will take effect within a year of promulgation, designate cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive chemical found in the plant, as narcotics to be regulated, as reported by Mainichi Shimbun.

While the possession and cultivation of marijuana are already banned in Japan, the country will now also prohibit its use, imposing a prison sentence of up to seven years for violations.

Previously, Japan did not penalize cannabis use, partly to protect farmers who might accidentally absorb its substances while growing it for use in hemp products. However, the government reversed its stance due to growing concerns that the lack of a ban on use was promoting drug abuse among young people.

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