The Ministry of Health in Japan said last week that it plans to shut down HHCH, a synthetic fabric that mimic the effects of cannabis. This after several people were hospitalized after eating gummies.
Once HHCH, or hexahydrocannabihexol, is designated as a psychoactive drug, its possession, use and distribution will be illegal in Japan, Health Minister Keizo Takemi said at a news conference. In early November, five people fell ill after eating gummies distributed at a festival in western Tokyo.
Ban on HHCH and psychoactive cannabinoids
Last week, the Ministry of Health's Narcotics Control Division conducted inspections at a company that produces the edibles in western Japan and at five stores selling the gummies in Tokyo and Osaka.
Gummies containing HHCH were found in a store in Tokyo. The ministry has ordered the suspension of sales of the product until an analysis of its components is completed.
The Ministry of Health is also considering banning all substances with a structure similar to HHCH, which can cause hallucinations and memory disorders. The main psychoactive component of cannabis, known as THC, is already banned in Japan.
Source: japantimes.co.jp (EN)
