Japan set to legalize medical marijuana

Japan is poised to legalize the use of medical marijuana to treat patients with unmanageable diseases, according to bills revealed during the Diet session on Tuesday.

Medicine made from cannabis plants can be used used to treat diseases like epilepsy, for which existing drugs are ineffective. Cannabis plants contain a substance that has an intoxicating effect, which is one of the reasons why their use is prohibited in Japan.

There are currently no penalties for the use of marijuana in Japan, as farmers who grow cannabis may accidentally ingest the drug. Farmers who grows cannabis are doing so with permission given by prefecture governors. The proposed revision would criminalize the use of marijuana, only allowing the use of medical marijuana to treat patients.

From https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/politics-government/20230125-86362/