43 STUDENTS PROBED OVER POT SINCE '03

Students from at least 10 universities in the Kanto and Kansai
regions have in the past five academic years been arrested on
suspicion of violating the Cannabis Control Law, or papers pertaining
to their cases have been sent to local prosecutors, according to a
Yomiuri Shimbun survey.

No illegal sales or use of marijuana on university campuses had been
reported until last year. However, marijuana violations have been
confirmed at Keio, Hosei and Kansai universities since the beginning
of this year.

Many universities have been deeply concerned about marijuana use, and
21 have been forced to take preventive measures, such as campus patrols.

The Yomiuri conducted a survey at 24 major universities in the
regions.

Twenty-two universities responded to the survey.

Meiji University and Teikyo University did not respond.

According to the survey, 10 universities confirmed that since April
2003 their students had been arrested on suspicion of violating the
law, or papers on the cases had been sent to prosecutors. The 10
universities were Kanto Gakuin, with 14 students involved; Keio, with
eight; Hosei, with five; Sophia and Chuo, with four each; Tokyo,
with three; Kansai, with two; and Doshisha, Kwansei Gakuin and
Ryukoku with one each.