Advocacy groups submitted a written request to Japan's health minister Thursday asking the government to reconsider ongoing plans to criminalize the use of cannabis, asserting the need for "support over punishment."The Japan Advocacy Network for Drug Policy claims a harsher Cannabis Control Law could deny both jobs and housing to those convicted of minor drug offenses, leading people into a "vicious cycle" of poverty and crime.Possessing cannabis is illegal in Japan, but some farmers are licensed to cultivate it, as hemp has been used from ancient times for items such as "shimenawa" sacred …READ FULL ARTICLE
