Presumably due to Japan’s zero tolerance approach in its dealings with drugs, booze has long been the accepted choice for both recreation and relaxation.
Of late, however, marijuana has started to make some well publicised appearances, with movie stars, students and more sensationally sumo wrestlers getting picked up for possession.
Events that have resulted in a mass of media coverage and concerns about cannabis being a ‘gateway’ drug. A worry that, whether warranted or not, may actually be way too late anyway, as it would appear that the gateway has long been breached, and far stronger substances are now openly promoting participation.
Perhaps.
irish says
Yea I don’t know what I’m going to do when I’m in Tokyo :/ no ganja?
Jonathan says
Great post!
Andrew says
Yes, hardly heard of any drug related crime in Japan.
Mike says
Weren’t mushrooms legal in Japan until 2002? Most people would find that to be pretty far past any gateway.
Mr. Kato says
I think what your seeing is that Japanese students at English schools in California, Australia and London, etc. are being exposed to the western attitudes toward drugs – and then bringing that back. Japanese youth have clearly decided that anything western, whether it’s hip-hop, President Obama or drugs must be of value, and worth copying.
Neil Duckett says
That could also mean another vice close to my heart … but much more readily attainable in Thailand.