Consolidated History of Marijuana in Japan

The increasingly apparent widespread (?) use of illegal drugs in celebrity circles have fired up debate on the drug war in Japan. Most opinion seems to speak ill of the convicted with a touch of fear that more regulation may not be able to contain illegal drug use in celebrities, and worse, children. Of course there is the minority opinion that discusses either decriminalization or legalizing certain drugs. Even the most watched (conservative) political show (Takajin no Sokomade Itte Iinkai) in Japan have invited a guest from the Cannabis Control Law Reform Center to discuss these matters.

Even though the recent bout of drug scandals haven’t included marijuana in the mix (aside from sumo), it’s also the drug that has the most compelling case for legalization. Let’s take a peek at the history of marijuana regulation in Japan.

Tradition

Not surprisingly pre-regulation, marijuana production was fairly common in Japan. Since the Jomon era, Japan has had a long tradition of integrating marijuana within culture, art and rituals. As one of the oldest crops, hemp had a robust set of uses, starting from basic material (clothes, ropes, strings, yarn, Japanese paper, oil), the hemp seeds were were used as food (shichimi, inari) and an important component for special occasions (rope for Yokozuna, ofuda at shrines, ropes that hang from shrines, burned hemp leaves at weddings). Even samurais supposedly used marijuana for inspiration. Hemp has been mentioned as a medicinal plant in pretty much all writings of drug and medicine (Chinese herb medicine, religious proceedings in Egypt, as various medicine in India), as its uses were later imported to Europe. In 1886, Japan listed hemp within their Pharmacopoeia, and frequently used it as medicine and painkiller.

Although also historically used in Buddhist rituals, marijuana is deeply integrated in Shinto rituals. To keep away demons and impurities, they made shide out of hemp plants. They also burned hemp leaves to create a holy fire — goma-daki. They made oonusa out of hemp leaves as well in the purification process. This process was also called, taima, the word for hemp/marijuana. There are also pics depicting geisha smoking what is believe to be marijuana (see above; hat tip: Marijuana Observer).

Ahh, maybe the gaijin sumo wrestlers wanted to keep away the demons by smoking pot instead of scattering salt! How’s that for the sumo association being ironical.

American Intrusion

Hemp used to be strongly linked to Japan both culturally and economically. The only thing that could break this bond was WWII and its subsequent regime change on Japan.

The U.S. also used hemp products fairly liberally in textile, medicine, oil and forestry industries. The following are the build-up of events that lead to demonizing and criminalizing of marijuana in Japan.

1. 1603, in Japan, tobacco was made illegal, repealed in 1639
2. around 1900, opiate addiction became known worldwide and a problem in the U.S.
3. early 1900s and beyond, medical advancements such as injections and morphine and other synthetic drugs made marijuana obsolete (as “natural” cures weren’t favorable back then)
4. early 1900s, Americans built much tension to Mexicans-americans
5. 1910, Mexican War spilled over to the U.S. border
6. 1913, CA passed first state anti-marijuana law where “locos” resided
7. 1914, Harrison Narcotics Tax Act, regulated and taxed cocaine and opiates
8. 1915, Utah, the first state to pass anti-marijuana law, which lead to a series of states banning it
9. 1929, start of the Great Depression
10. 1930, establishment of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics to execute the Harrison Act, where Harry Anslinger became the 1st commissioner
11. 1933, America repeals prohibition
12. Anslinger co-oped with William Randolf Hearst, an owner of a huge chain of newspapers. Also hated Mexicans and didn’t want hemp paper to be published. Also, lying about Mexicans sold papers
13. A series of anti-marijuana, anti-Mexican, anti-black propaganda come out. Latinos and black jazz musicians were a large part of the marijuana user group
14. 1935~1936, anti-marijuana movies come out: Marihuana: Assassin of Youth; Reefer Madnesss; Marihuana: The Devil’s Weed
15. The oil (plastic), synthetic fiber and forestry industries labor hard for a tax on marijuana
16. Anslinger brought anti-marijuana legislation directly to the White House, using Hearst’s gauntlet media and the specified use of the term marijuana instead of cannabis or hemp
17. The medical science community is completely skipped over in discussions, even though it was scientifically clear that marijuana wasn’t getting a fair treatment
18. 1937, Marijuana Tax Act passes
19. World War II.
20. Japanese Gov. distributed speed to soldiers and factory workers for encouragement
21. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor shut off foreign supplies of “manilla hemp” fiber from the Phillipines.
22. This gave rise to “Hemp for Victory” movement that temporarily stimulated the hemp industry (for military equipment) with collaboration from the Gov.
23. After War, Gov. quickly shuts down hemp industry
24. 1945 Potsdam declaration
25. 1948, Cannabis Control Act (bans the import, export, cultivation, sales and purchase of marijuana buds and leaves) in Japan still under command of General MacArthur, the reason? because U.S. thought it was natural to do so
26. Japan convinced the U.S. side to permit local gov. to give out licenses to use hemp for fabrics; 90% of commercial hemp is in Tochigi
27. 1952, speed banned in Japan
28. 1954, speed banned in U.S.
29. 1970 Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act. Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug plus marijuana and hemp are not distinguished
30. two decades passes in Japan after the Cannabis Control Act w/o much fervor until hemp fields are found by protesters of the Vietnam War
31. 1985, Japan’s Supreme Court ruled that there were dangers in marijuana

In the U.S., anti-marijuana progressions were due to both economic and social factors, which speaks highly of the plasticity of hemp itself. But because of the economic and social double whammy on marijuana usage, the distinction between marijuana as material and marijuana as a drug became fuzzy. The only thing standing between criminalization was scientific opinion, but that was effectively muted out.

Similarly in Japan, rational discussions on marijuana were nil to none (except for the compromise on permits), and the citizens still today have a large stigma attached to anything categorized as mayaku (general word for “bad” drugs). Because the U.S. hadn’t banned speed by WWII, U.S. (hence, Japan) let go on regulations on speed for a few years. Usage of speed increased precipitously post-war, and Japan made regulations after markets were established (remember, the Gov. itself distributed it during the War). Now major players of yakuza control the black markets of speed (an expensive, profitable drug). Currently, speed is a much larger drug problem in Japan (speed usage is comparable to other countries, whereas marijuana usage is much lower). What needed to be regulated wasn’t regulated, but what didn’t need to be regulated was regulated.

While, alcohol and tobacco kills 2 million and 5 million respectively worldwide (marijuana = 0), and speed is a powerful synthetic drug similar to the effects of cocaine, marijuana’s positive medicinal, religious, economic effects along with debatable inverse relationships with “hard drug” usage rates and contributions to yakuza, marijuana has a compelling case for a nuanced legalization. Informed U.S. citizens get this, as marijuana legalization was the top query during Barack Obama’s internet townhall meeting because there is an obvious answer (not because internet users are dope). Japan still are spouting talking points that were discredited by science decades ago.

Refs:

1. Jack Herer. Emperor Wears No Clothes. Quick American Archives. January 1998.
2. 武田邦彦. 大麻ヒステリー. 光文社. (2009-06-17).
3. 大麻取締法変革センター (Taima Torishimari-Ho Henkaku Center | Cannabis Control Law Reform Center) (THC).

Related posts

• No Related Posts