JAPAN GRAPPLING WITH CANNABIS CRISIS

From university students to sumo wrestlers, celebrities and
professional sportsmen, the number of cannabis users is on the rise
and showing no signs of slowing. And despite the relatively low
psychological barrier associated with the drug, the health and other
effects can be far-reaching.

One Kansai man bought a bag of cannabis seeds for about 3,000 yen in
Osaka's Amerika-mura, and cultivated them in his closet for his own
use. "Growing weed takes perseverance, the temperature and light
exposure need to be tightly controlled," he said. "But you can get
books on the subject."

And the number of those following suit are growing fast: arrests and
reports to prosecutors for marijuana cultivation have risen fourfold
over the last 10 years to 192 in 2007, according to the Kinki branch
of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Compliance and
Narcotics Division.

Instructions and other materials can be easily purchased over the
Internet, as well as seeds, which sell for between 10,000 and 20,000
yen for 10.

"Cannabis is the only narcotic that can be produced at home
self-sufficiently. The Net is also responsible for the increase in
cultivation," says the division.

Cannabis is usually smoked, similar to tobacco; however, the active
ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol, can cause hallucinations. "There's
no need for syringes, and it has this sense of cool to it. For
newcomers to drugs, the barrier is low," according to the division.

Cannabis is also known as a gateway drug, since it can lead to the
abuse of other substances, as the ex-user from Kansai testifies.

"If you're smoking cannabis, it's easy to get your hands on stimulants
too. I was recommended them by a dealer."

It's commonly misunderstood that there are no health risks with
smoking cannabis. However, Yukihiro Shoyama, professor of
pharmaceutical resources at Nagasaki International University, disagrees.

"It's more carcinogenic than tobacco, so to say there's no health
effect is a big mistake. Repeated use can also cause a motivational
syndrome, similar to chronic lethargy, and deterioration of memory."

During 2007, police apprehended 2,373 suspects on 3,388
cannabis-related charges. Of those, 1,430 people were in their 20s,
184 aged 19 and below and 75 aged 50 and above.

The Cannabis Control Law provides for up to five years' prison for
possession and seven for cultivation, but there is no formal
punishment for use. However, the health ministry points out that there
have been cases where smoking cannabis with a friend has been
construed as joint possession, and that simple usage by no means
allows people to escape the penalty.

"Arrest, dismissal, expulsion from school ... With the risk of
collapsing those things that make up your life, isn't the risk of
smoking cannabis too high? Think it over, and you should know the
answer," said one investigator.