STUDENTS AND MARIJUANA

Arrests of university students in connection with growing, possessing
or selling of cannabis have continued. Students apparently have much
lower inhibitions to the use of cannabis than to other narcotic or
stimulant drugs. They might think that smoking marijuana is not very
different from smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol. But possessing or
selling marijuana is prohibited by the Cannabis Control Law.

University authorities need to educate students about the law so that
they will not end up having their university life ruined by arrests
and indictments.

In November 2007, police arrested two student athletes, both members
of the rugby club at Kanto Gakuin University, on suspicion of growing
cannabis in their apartments. It was later found that 12 members of
the club smoked cannabis. The list of university students arrested on
suspicion of growing, possessing or selling marijuana goes on: three
Kansai University students in May 2008, a Doshisha University student
in September, five Hosei University students by the end of September
and two Keio University students in October. It was also learned last
week that police arrested three Waseda University students and two
students of the Science University of Tokyo for allegedly growing or
trying to import cannabis.

The Metropolitan Police Department investigated or arrested 444 people
in connection with cannabis-related crimes from January through August
2008, 9.2 percent of them students.

One reason for the spread of cannabis among students is that one can
easily obtain cannabis-related information on the Internet. One of the
Waseda students, arrested for allegedly growing four cannabis plants
in his apartment, told police that he learned how to grow the plants
on the Internet. He was found guilty of buying 10 seeds for Y11,500
from a man in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, who was also arrested. He is
suspected of having sold cannabis seeds, worth a total of about Y32
million, to about 2,100 people.

University authorities should take the spread of cannabis use among
students seriously and provide education and counseling on the harmful
consequences of continued marijuana use.