Japan Government Opens Public Comment Period for Cannabis Reform

The Japanese government announced on May 30 that it would officially begin accepting public comments about its cannabis reform bill. One of the proposed measures would potentially loosen restrictions for the use of processing CBD in food products.

In February, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW) published a proposal hinting changes to the amount of THC allowed in some products. “In order to prevent the occurrence of health and hygiene hazards, a maximum residue limit for THC remaining in trace amounts in cannabis grass-derived products shall be established,” MHLW said.

AstraSana Holding AG managing director Yves Antoniazzi told Business of Cannabis that the company is in a beneficial position to help the CBD market expand in Japan. “We have been waiting a long time for this,” Antoniazzi said. “It is a huge milestone for the global cannabis industry. Japan is the first country to approve CBD in food, paving the way for corporate companies to list CBD products in retail chains.”

The public comment period will begin now and last through mid to late June.

The Japanese Ministry of Health began discussing medical cannabis legalization back in May 2022. In October 2023, the Japanese government amended its decades-old Cannabis Control Law. Later in November 2023, Japan’s lower House also passed the bill to move it forward, followed by the House of Councilors passing a revision to the law in December 2023. The revision included lifting a ban on cannabis-based pharmaceutical products and also reclassified cannabis under the country’s Narcotics Control Law.

However, it also introduced revised laws regarding illegal use and stated that someone in violation of the law could serve up to seven years in prison. Prior to the reformed law, Japan only punished violations for import, export, cultivating, and possession.

A recent report published by Euromonitor in April …

Read More

Author: Nicole Potter / High Times