3 Waseda U. students arrested on pot charges The Yomiuri Shimbun
Three Waseda University students have been arrested on suspicion of growing or possessing cannabis, according to the university and other sources.
The Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare drug control department arrested a 21-year-old student at the university's School of Commerce on suspicion of buying cannabis seeds online and growing the herb in August in violation of the Cannabis Control Law, a senior department official said. A court has found the third-year student guilty and handed down a suspended sentence.
The university also revealed Saturday that Chiba prefectural police have arrested two other male Waseda students on suspicion of breaking the same law.
The department also arrested a man on suspicion of selling seeds to the third-year student online.
Kotaro Ochiai, 34, is suspected to have sold seeds to more than 2,000 people nationwide. Ochiai is unemployed and living in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo.
The department has reportedly detained 12 other men on suspicion of possession or growing the herb.
The department is under the jurisdiction of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.
Cannabis is seen as a growing problem among young people in higher education. A Doshisha University student was arrested on suspicion of possessing cannabis at her home in Kobe earlier this month.
Late last month, two Keio University students were arrested for allegedly selling the drug.
The use of the herb is not restricted to students. Actor Taishu Kase and pro tennis player Joji Miyao have been arrested recently on suspicion of possessing or growing the plant.
Three Russian sumo wrestlers, Wakanoho and the brothers Roho and Hakurozan, tested positive for cannabis in August and September, respectively, and were thrown out of professional sumo.