Last year, 6,482 people were arrested by police for cannabis-related crimes, the highest number ever.
Teenagers and people in their 20s account for more than 70% of the total, and the prevalence of cannabis use is particularly serious among young people.
According to the National Police Agency, 6,482 people were arrested by the police last year for possessing or cultivating cannabis, the highest number ever since 1950, when statistics are available. The number of participants exceeded 1,000, which is the highest number ever.
By age group, people in their 20s accounted for the most at 3,545, followed by teenagers at 1,222, making up 74% of the total.
Among the teens, 21 were middle school students and 214 were high school students, with the youngest being 14 years old.
It has been pointed out that the ingredients in cannabis not only affect the brain and cause various psychiatric symptoms, but also atrophy parts of the brain, which can affect cognitive function.
When the National Police Agency interviewed more than 1,000 people arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession last year, a total of 76% answered "I don't think it's harmful at all" or "I don't think it's very likely" that marijuana is harmful. I went up.
The National Police Agency analyzes that the spread of cannabis is due to the widespread misconception that cannabis is safe, and the spread of social media, which makes it easier to come into contact with smuggling groups. We are strengthening our activities and enforcement.