Japan to Ban Cannabis Ingredient CBN from June

Tokyo, May 31 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s health ministry is set to ban the production, sale, possession and use of cannabinol, or CBN, an ingredient derived from cannabis, from June. An animal experiment conducted following reports of apparent health hazards associated with CBN has found that the substance is highly likely to cause symptoms such as hallucination. The ministry will regulate CBN as a designated drug under the pharmaceutical and medical devices law through a revision of a relevant ordinance. The amended ordinance is set to take effect in June. CBN is produced by oxidizing tetrahydrocannabinol, which is regulated under the narcotics control law. Cookies, gummies and e-cigarettes containing CBN were on sale because it is believed to have relaxation effects and help improve sleep. Problems related to CBN have been reported, including a case in which a student of Yamanashi Gakuin University in Kofu, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan, jumped from the second floor of a dormitory after eating cookies containing the substance in May last year. According to the health ministry, four cases of people becoming ill or being taken to hospital after eating food containing CBN have been confirmed since October 2024. In October last year, an expert panel at the ministry decided to regulate CBN as a designated drug after the animal experiment showing the high risks of hallucination and other symptoms. With CBN production, sale, possession and use set to be prohibited, violators will face criminal penalties such as an imprisonment of up to five years. Businesses and individuals who currently possess products containing CBN must dispose of them, including by making the goods invisible from outside to prevent them from being taken away. Meanwhile, the use of CBN will continue to be allowed as an exception for disease treatment in cases where no alternative is available, on condition that the ministry is notified. It is used for intractable epilepsy treatment. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]