Reiwa 3 No. 296 Cannabis Control Law violation case Defendant Ryujiro Oyabu Defendant's opening statement of opinion

Defendant Ryujiro Oyabu

This trial is a very important scene in my life, so I tried to find out as much as possible about the latest trends in cannabis plant regulation around the world. Also, as a "pottery artist", I have been engaged in art research activities for more than 20 years, and I know that the relationship between Japanese people and cannabis plants is so deep that it is rarely seen in the world. In
addition, I stayed in London for about four years from 2004 to 2008, and while working as a writer, I had contact with many cannabis users and smoked myself. I would also like to talk about it later.
At this time, I was arrested and detained on suspicion of violating the Cannabis Control Law, but I can't find the reason, no matter how much I investigate the legislative basis of this Cannabis Control Law. I think it is impossible to skip the basics of the current issue and understand the
future, so please tell me the basis of this legislation as my simple question. I don't know these, so what did I do and what was so bad? To be honest, I don't understand it, so I would like to ask you to clarify it in the trial process. I think this is a guarantee of due process as stipulated in Article 31 of the Constitution, so it may not be necessary to say this, but I would appreciate it.
First, let's talk about my work and the relationship between cannabis plants.
I am a "Yakimono artist " who kneads the clay to make a shape, dries it, and then bake it with flames to create a work. Generally speaking, it is often called a "ceramic artist "or just “Potter”, but in my case, the subject of the work is "earth, water, wind, and flame", and the act of handling these and baking the work itself. Since I am focusing on it, I call myself a "pottery writer". Also, if
you go back to the history of Japanese pottery, you will reach the Jomon period, when Jomon pottery was burned, about 12,000 years ago. I create works by reproducing the tools and firing methods that would have been used at that time and reflecting what I experienced in modern pottery expression, so at the same time I am also called an "experimental Jomon
archaeologist". I am calling myself.

Speaking of the Jomon, this year, in July 2021, the Jomon archaeological sites in Hokkaido and the northeastern part of the country were registered as World Cultural Heritage Sites. Why is the Jomon culture so attracting worldwide attention now? It is because the investigation results of the excavated human bones and relics show no trace of the use of weapons for killing each other, or there is an abnormality in the long bones of the limbs, that is, the bones of the arms and legs from an early age, and it is difficult to walk independently and care for them. It is known that it was a "society that recognizes compassionate diversity" because there are traces that the remains of adults who should have needed it were carefully buried. This is the reason why the Jomon period has continued for a long time beyond the imagination of more than 10,000 years.
The biggest reason why the world is paying attention now is that it was an era when a sustainable society was realized.
"Jomon" literally means a pattern created when the surface of clay is rolled using a rope made by twisting plant fibers in a spiral shape, and it is used for almost all pottery made in the Jomon period. Since there is evidence that this rope tool called "Jomon Gentai" was used, it is said that one era continued for more than 12,000 years. I have been studying the material of this tool called "Jomon Gentai" for more than 15 years. And I'm convinced that the material was "cannabis" as the answer I came up with. One of the reasons is that cannabis, which is more durable than other materials and has moderately coarse fibers compared to other fibers, reduces the amount of clay that bites into the spiral groove when rolling the surface of the clay.
The convenience of being able to use it for a long time can be mentioned by reducing the number of times the tools are washed again. However, these conveniences alone are weak for the reason that they have continued to use this tool for a long period of more than 10,000 years, and unless the material itself has a strong feeling similar to faith, it will be replaced with another
material, and eventually it will be replaced. It's easy to imagine that you won't even use tools. In this sense, the "Shimenawa" found in shrines in Japan today and the "Yokozuna rope" of sumo wrestling, which is originally a Shinto ritual, are the original Jomon eras that have been oversized. These confine the huge repulsive force created by twisting multiple spirals to the utmost limit and protect the sanctuary by creating a barrier with a rope that contains this
powerful force. And all of those materials use "Seima (fine hemp)". Also, as the bill of Ise Jingu is called Jingu cannabis, cannabis is used to worship sins in Shinto and is worshiped as a god's seal and continues to be the object of worship until now. Furthermore, in life before the Meijiera, the umbilical cord was cut with hemp thread at the time of childbirth, and at the wedding
ceremony, a ceremony was held to tie each other's hair with hemp thread, hoping that the couple would be happy for a long time, and the shroud was Mai. Cannabis grass, which has been treated specially in various important situations until the birth and death of a person, is a plant that should be called Kunikusa, and is a sacred symbol that symbolizes the Japanese
people who have coexisted with nature since the Jomon period. It is a plant. For these reasons, I am convinced that cannabis grass was the material of the original Jomon period.
We have lived in harmony with nature as a great existence and have lived with cannabis as our seal, and we used cannabis grass in all aspects of clothing, food, and shelter, and made military uniforms during the war from cannabis. Durable cannabis textile products were basically repaired and reused, but cannabis products became more expensive than petroleum-based chemical fibers, which are easy to manufacture and process and are inexpensive, and declined rapidly after the war. .. Some people think of this as a natural flow that accompanies the development of industry. However, as of 1950, there were more than 30,000 cannabis growers and a total planted area of more than 4000 hectares under the Cannabis Control Law, which unilaterally regulated the cultivation of cannabis plants by GHQ, while 35 growers as of 2018.
The total area is less than 12 hectares, and by forcibly and intentionally regulating cannabis cultivation, the traditional values are completely denied, and at the same time, it is economically transformed into the petrochemical industry. I understand that it was an occupation policy toward Japan that was intended to shift from a self-sufficient and environmentally friendly society to a consumer society structure by subordinating to.
As I mentioned earlier, the number of cannabis growers has dropped sharply, and industrial cannabis in Japan is almost extinct, but it is even worse in the natural world, and cannabis as a plant that originally grew everywhere, such as being artificially burned down. It can be said that the grass is extinct. As you can see in the material of the report submitted in advance, in Yellowstone National Park in the United States, which reintroduced the extinct wolf 26 years ago, the plants that were eaten up by the deer due to the appearance of wolves Due to the increase, various wild animals have been revived, and the regeneration of forests has suppressed soil erosion and drastically reduced natural disasters such as landslides and floods.
The extinction of Japanese wolves, the apex predator of Japan, has disrupted the ecological balance of forests, and the extinction of cannabis plants is similar to the current frequent occurrence of various natural disasters such as landslides and flooding of rivers. It must have upset the ecological balance of the Japanese wolf, who was the closest to us, and caused various adverse effects. We should have a strong awareness as a country that has realized a
sustainable society in the past and a spirit of returning to nature, correct this situation as soon as possible, and return both creatures to their natural state as much as possible. I think it is necessary to stop the suspension and continue serious and mature discussions.
Next, I would like to introduce my experiences of smoking and hearing about cannabis in England and Europe and the circumstances of cannabis overseas, and finally I would like to express my thoughts on this trial.
By the way, in January 2004, cannabis was classified and moved in the United Kingdom, and cannabis was designated as a class C drug with the lowest risk as a drug, and possession of cannabis itself is no longer subject to arrest and is illegal but not punished. I am.
I was a writer in London, England for about four years from 2004 to 2008. In London, there are many buildings called STUDIOS where studios of various sizes are gathered, and many artists, both famous and unknown, are renting a room of such STUDIOS, and I am also working. I was active as a ceramic artist. Smokers were always gathering at the smoking area in the corner of such a collective studio. In the UK, boxed cigarettes, so-called cigarettes, are so expensive that most people smoke hand-rolled cigarettes, but for the sake of health, many smoke cigarettes with a very small amount of cigarettes added to marijuana, so-called joints. I think this is like a manner when someone smokes a joint, but once someone ignites the joint, the so-called "cigarette" that turns it to the next person begins, so occasionally I also came around to smoke a cigarette. When I smoked it, the taste that passed through my nose was fragrant and very delicious, but it did not change for a while, so it turned around a couple of times, so when I smoked it, the corners of my face rose and my English became light and fluent. I noticed that it has become. This is amazing because it feels like the time it takes to organize your mind and
put it into words is shortened! I thought. When I returned to my studio and was alone, I felt very peaceful and calm, and noticed that my senses of sound and vision had changed. I noticed the details that I usually overlooked, and the overall feeling of the music I usually listened to increased, and I felt that the sound that I was catching only with my ears was caught by my whole body. I am very vulnerable to alcohol, and as soon as I swallow it, I feel sick and all my senses become dull. But it's not fun for me, so the difference was a very fresh and inspiring experience. At the same time, the question and feelings arose, "Why is alcohol legal and banned from such wonderful things? Isn't it unfair!" If I drank a few glasses of alcohol, such as tequila, I would probably vomit at the platform of the station on my way home and get stuck, or if I drank too much, I would be taken by ambulance, causing trouble for many people, or in the worst case. It can lead to death. Of course, this depends on the person or the situation, but I myself have witnessed various troubles such as starting to quarrel, beating, and becoming more violent because I drank too much alcohol. However, in my experience, I have never seen anyone who took only marijuana yelling or becoming aggressive, let alone violent trouble.
Rather, I've seen many smiley scenes where people hit each other and hold hands and hug their shoulders.
As the word "liquor is the chief of a hundred medicines", I think that it would be true if it was moderate, and I think that alcohol has a lot of good points. However, how many incidents, accidents, and crimes occur each year, such as "So let's drink with moderation"? Isn't it a number that can be said to be innumerable? I would like to make it clear here that I am not denying alcohol. Rather, I think that a society that does not easily prohibit by law even if many
incidents occur is a healthy nation that guarantees the human rights of the people.
Also, it is often said that cannabis has a mental effect and changes consciousness, that is, it is dangerous because it trips, but if you swallow too much alcohol, you will rant and hurt people and you will not remember at all the next day. If you ask me, I'm weak, I think, "You are tripping so much. I'm envious." Who decided not to trip or change consciousness in the first place? If an incident or accident occurs as a result, a sentencing should be imposed according to the weight of the crime. Alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and sex all depend on and transform. In my experience, consuming large amounts of cannabis has never caused the intense sickness or significantly higher psychological effects of alcohol, let alone the fatal physical damage. In addition, I have never seen such a conclusion in the papers and survey results studied in the developed countries of the world's cannabis ban. On the contrary, a survey of seniors with an average age of 72.5 years in Colorado, where both medical and preference cannabis is legalized, found that 73% of respondents had reduced distress and daily routines. The results show that cannabis is physically and mentally useful, as respondents say that improved movement eliminates anxiety and improves quality of life.
I myself tend to have mild panic disorder, which can occur when unexpected events occur in unfamiliar or cramped areas. For example, when a crowded train stops due to a vehicle breakdown and does not move, it has occurred several times. When I think about it later, it's a situation that I can't help but at that time, I couldn't help but sometimes I fell down while sweating cold while desperately trying to avoid wanting to scream in a loud voice. However, in
the four years in England, he did not develop a severe panic disorder that would cause him to collapse. And when I returned to Japan and had a serious onset again, I thought that in the UK, even if it wasn't enough to buy cannabis on my own, I was allowed to smoke with my flat mates and studio friends on a daily basis. I came to think that it might have been due to cannabis.
Then I tried CBD, which is legal in Japan. Then, the frequency of symptoms such as impatience that can't be helped even if you can't sleep is reduced, you can feel a certain effect, and the occasional severe migraine headache is alleviated, so cannabis is still wonderful. I was very impressed. As you can see, although it is CBD, I myself feel a certain degree of "improvement in the quality of life."
Norm Stamper, a former Seattle Police Department chief in Washington State, said in January 2011, "Why Marijuana is Illegal?" Published by Tsukiji Shokan.
"During the decades I spent in the city as a police officer, it was very rare for a single liquor related incident to occur overnight. During my shift, there were many reports of alcohol-related incidents, and I became accustomed to the patterns and smells of such incidents. I knew that if I was heading to a bar-focused area or a local university campus, I was in the middle of a quarrel
with drunken eyes, or I was about to start. Alas, the situation was often the same when I was notified of a domestic violence incident. Clashes of domestic violence, which often lead to physical violence, were often the cause of escalation when one or both of them drank too much alcohol. You might think that this experience is unique to me, so for the past four years I've
been asking police officers two questions in informal interviews around the United States and Canada. The first is, "When was the last time you had to deal with the resistance of people using marijuana with your strength?" This is only for marijuana, not for 6 beers or 5 tequila.
Colleagues have never had to take a moment to answer this question and force marijuana users down in five, fifteen, or thirty years of police life. Notice the fact. Then I ask, "When was the last time I had to deal with the resistance of drunkenness with my strength?" And they looked at their watches. So how many hours ago was the answer, not days or weeks ago? That is to say.
Alcohol amplifies aggressive behavior and does not allow marijuana. That is the simple and naive truth. 』
Thus, the former Seattle City Police Chief is witnessing, not just a police officer. He further states: "As someone entrusted with the protection of public safety, I should punish what the law does to harm others. I firmly believe that, and most people agree with it. The same is true for violent crimes such as murder and assault, and non-violent crimes such as shoplifting and
insider trading. It should also be punished for acts that threaten public safety, such as speeding and ignoring traffic lights. These laws are clearly designed to protect the public. But it's not clear what kind of damage they're trying to prevent by punishing those who just banned the use of marijuana and just possessed it. Let's repeat. From my own experience and from the experience of police officers, it is clear that marijuana is extremely rare, if at all, the cause of harmful anti-order or violence. Rather, the use of marijuana often helps to relieve tension in the field. I think you can even say that.
As Dr. Norm Stamper states, people who are guaranteed basic human rights are arrested, detained and severely punished without any concrete victims, so of course no one I think there is a reason to be convinced that “How harmful and dangerous cannabis plants are”, compared to alcohol and other drugs. Specifically, I would like to ask you to clarify, and then prosecute just by possessing a piece of plant that seems to be cannabis grass, prove that it is a serious crime to impose a sentencing, and if it is a judgment concluded on that, I would like to obey. Thank you.

                                                                          Defendant Ryujiro Oyabu