Cannabis activism in Japan is something that not a lot of people consider. Due to the fact that the nation has very strict cannabis laws and a history of zero tolerance, many feel that asking for even decriminalization or medical cannabis in the country is a lost cause. But in reality, hemp and cannabis have always been part of Japanese culture, and many are starting to fight back against unfair stereotypes.
According to the website japanhemp.org, cannabis has been grown in Japan since the Neolithic Era (10,000-300 BCE), and hemp was a major source for fiber and important in clothing making across the country. Hemp also used to be used in many religious ceremonies, and it was generally celebrated as a helpful plant and positive addition to culture.
However, following World War II, occupying allied forces passed the Cannabis Control Act in order to ensure that occupying troops were not smoking. This law ended up transferring over to Japan, and the substance became illegal.
Today, cannabis is still frowned upon, partially due to misinformation. Since cannabis is so taboo, many do not understand the difference between the substance and hard drugs like cocaine and heroin, the way most people do in the U.S.
Thankfully, there has been an uptake in cannabis activism since much of the rest of the world started to legalize and decriminalize the plant. Activists like Saya Takagi, the actress and singer turned cannabis activist and politician, and Nao Yamamoto, who teaches civics at Bukkyo University in Kyoto, who teaches about how cannabis naysayers want to use their influence to promote nationalism and recently did an interview with High Times, have started to make their messages heard, and they are getting attention outside of their country.
Any sort of legalization, or even decriminalization, still seems to be in the far future for Japan, but as voices of dissent start to ring out against prohibition, the rest of the world is taking notice, and the pressure is on for a sensible drug policy in nations with draconian drug laws.
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