正しい薬物知識によって解かれる社会的な偏見 気ままなリライト153
The rapidity of information spread via social media has amplified the severity of drug distribution among curious-minded youth. The covert trade of drugs categorized as illegal is fueling the underground drug market, keeping law-enforcement officers preoccupied with chasing down offenders. Amid this drug prevalence, a lack of evidence-focused discussion and unbiased drug education is making it challenging for the youth to make informed and responsible decisions based on scientifically accurate information and their personal values.
According to the National Police Agency, since 2019, the number of individuals under 20 breaking the Cannabis Control Law has increased. Online transactions have made illegal drugs more accessible to middle and high school students, with nearly 40% of users in their teens and twenties contacting dealers via social media. The reports from the nation-wide police stations revealed that the number of cannabis offenders under 20 doubled to 1,222, in 2023, compared with 609 in 2019. Communication, from solicitation to transaction, takes place through various social media platforms. Ordered substances are delivered in person at designated locations in exchange for payment.
The portrayal of cannabis by the law enforcement authorities has been skewed to carry a social stigma, serving as a deterrent against satisfying curiosity about the plant’s efficacy even after historic documents revealed this bias. Since the Cannabis Control Law was enacted by GHQ during the Allied occupation of Japan after World War II, a clear gap has been evident between scientific findings and public policies on cannabis. Research commissioned in the early 1940s by Fiorello Henry La Guardia and in the early 1970s by President Nixon debunked many negative perceptions of cannabis. Those studies showed that much of the social harm attributed to cannabis was based on anecdotal evidence and moral panic rather than facts. The reports concluded that for most users, cannabis did not cause major health issues and found no substantial evidence linking its use to significant physical or mental health problems. While acknowledging moderate potential for psychological dependence, the researchers noted that this risk was lower compared with substances like alcohol and tobacco. The studies also indicated that cannabis use was not a significant factor in crime and debunked the myth that it leads to violent behavior. Additionally, they found no substantial evidence to support the "gateway drug" theory, which claims that cannabis use leads to the use of more dangerous drugs. Despite those findings, cannabis, except for therapeutic use, has remained heavily restricted in the United States for many decades. Likewise, in Japan, strict cannabis-related drug policies are continuing to be enforced, ignoring those scientific insights.
The intensified crackdown on cannabis offenses is mainly driven by the tendency to maintain public policies prohibiting cannabis use based on emotions rather than facts or logical reasoning. Law enforcement agencies and mass media are treating cannabis offenses similarly to those involving more dangerous substances such as heroin and cocaine, despite the recommendations of the Nixon-led commission that criminal penalties for cannabis were overly harsh and counterproductive. Police forces are fearing an imaginary moral hazard if they follow scientific findings regarding cannabis and decriminalize the personal use of small amounts, as is done with tobacco and alcohol. Instead of educating the youth through logical arguments based on scientific evidence, law enforcement authorities are relying on scare tactics to regulate drug use. When young people perceive that regulatory guidelines are not fact-based, it fosters distrust in the government and public institutions. This skepticism tends to reduce compliance with drug regulations and hinder opportunities for open dialogue, which is crucial for helping the youth make informed decisions about drug use.
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