Ministry cracks down on quasi-legal drugs

To clamp down on hallucinogens and quasi-legal drugs being sold as herbs, the health ministry will designate four types of regulated drugs as narcotics, ministry officials said Saturday.

The designation will be the first one in four years. The ministry plans to issue them more often at least once a year and impose a blanket regulation on drugs that produce similar effects but have slightly different ingredients, to tighten control of quasi-legal drugs and other hallucinogens, the officials said.

The four types of drugs JWH-018, cannabicyclohexanol, MDPV and mephedrone will be classified as narcotics, just like stimulants, as early as August.

On July 1, nine types of quasi-legal drugs will be added to a list of regulated drugs that cause hallucinations and other health risks.

The pharmaceutical affairs law bans the production and sale of 68 regulated drugs. Drugs found to cause serious addiction and other adverse health impacts are designated as narcotics, making their possession illegal.

According to data compiled by the ministry, 389 stores in 29 prefectures were found to have sold quasi-legal drugs as of the end of March by taking advantage of legal loopholes. But it is hard to obtain more accurate data because they are sometimes sold from vending machines.

Last year, 114 self-inflicted injuries caused by quasi-legal hallucinogens were confirmed.

This year, injuries inflicted upon others have been reported in connection with people driving while allegedly under the influence of such drugs.

A 22-year-old man was indicted this month after seriously injuring a woman in a hit-and-run accident last month in Osaka. It's the first case in which someone was accused of reckless driving after inhaling a quasi-legal drug.

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Ministry cracks down on quasi-legal drugs