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]

wright...

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 harsh penalties. I would mean five years for simple possession if that was what you meant. 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 officially recognized. When will governments learn that prohibition does not work? All it does is create organized crime and governmental corruption. At least that's true for the US, and logically I assume that Japan faces similar problems as a side effect of drug prohibition. And now that it seems to be going on a whole-blown rant, I might as well go on about why I think drugs should be legal in the US, and this could apply anywhere else for that matter. I come from an impoverished area of the US. We're in about a three-way tie for the poorest state in the union with Arkansas and Mississippi. Now, this is a place where candidates for sheriff and other elected law enforcement positions put out hits on their opposition for control of the local black market. Much of this corruption would not be here if there weren't drug prohibition. This is also an area where many people can no longer feed their families as either their farms no longer make a profit, or they were laid off and cannot find other work as they had to drop out of school in the first place to feed their families. People like this turn to the only viable source of income growing pot purely for sustenance and maybe help put one of their lucky children through school. That's all fine until the pigs get wind of it, then they arrest the parents, perhaps the children, and then take their home, their land, and their 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 made a better life for their children, but no the downward spiral intensifies. Then, of course, the US is doing to South America for the drug war, but that is a subject deserving of its particular thread. I'll 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’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’s sad

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

 

[fyce]

well....

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'!

 

[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’s pretty much the feeling I had too...I guess the "Rei Shimura" books I’ve been reading aren’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300万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.

 

[mad pierrot]

Just DON'T.

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.... ☝ 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 *** 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.