According to a report by the Japanese media outlet Asahi on December 21, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that it will classify products containing 38 similar components to marijuana as dangerous drugs, leading to a complete ban on their manufacturing, sales, and advertising.
Since December, the Japanese government has prohibited the sale of products containing harmful cannabis components to the human body. However, it has come to light that new similar substances are still circulating in the market.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has announced that 38 products, including e-liquids, candies, and biscuits, contain five unregulated ingredients and will be classified as pharmaceuticals and medical devices under the broad-spectrum control target of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act and published in the official gazette. Since March 2015, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has once again conducted extensive reforms on such products.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, cannabis candies containing harmful hexahydrocannabinol (HHCH) have been classified as controlled substances, prohibiting their production and sale since December.
However, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has discovered that there are still products on the market containing illegal chemical substances such as “hexahydrocannabinol (HHCP)” and “tetrahydrocannabinol ester (THCPO)”. Reportedly, in November alone, six people experienced physical discomfort after consuming these substances.