Implementation of the Drug Abuse Prevention Campaign
Overview
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, jointly with prefectural governments, will conduct the Drug Abuse Prevention Campaign from October 1 through November 30, 2026. In 2025, the number of people arrested for cannabis offenses reached a record high of 7,120, with people under 30 accounting for at least 70%. During the campaign, regional events, the production and display of posters and pamphlets, and awards for contributors to drug abuse prevention will be carried out.
Key points
- The campaign will be conducted for two months, from October 1 through November 30, 2026.
- In 2025, the number of people arrested for cannabis offenses reached a record high of 7,120.
- People under 30 account for at least 70% of those arrested for cannabis offenses.
- Regional events, the production and display of educational materials, and awards for contributors will be carried out.
Overview
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, jointly with prefectural governments, will conduct a campaign to eradicate drug abuse by broadly informing people about the dangers and harmful effects of drugs and raising each person's awareness of preventing drug abuse. The drugs covered include narcotics, stimulants, cannabis, and dangerous drugs.
Against this background, the number of people arrested for cannabis offenses in Japan reached a record high of 7,120 in 2025 and has remained at a high level, exceeding the number of people arrested for stimulant offenses. In particular, young people under 30 account for at least 70%.
Impact
Drug abuse is considered to cause immeasurable harm to public welfare, not only by creating health problems for individuals who abuse drugs but also by causing various incidents and accidents. The original text states that it is extremely important to ensure that people do not use drugs even once and do not induce others to do so, and that the understanding and cooperation of every member of the public are essential.
Details
The organizers are the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the prefectural governments. Supporting organizations include the National Police Agency, the Children and Families Agency, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office, Japan Customs, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Japan Coast Guard, and the Drug Abuse Prevention Center.
The main activities are holding regional events for the Drug Abuse Prevention Campaign for Narcotics, Stimulants, and Cannabis, jointly organized by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and prefectural governments; producing and displaying posters, pamphlets, and other materials to disseminate accurate knowledge; and presenting awards to contributors to drug abuse prevention.