Paul McCartney learned in the summer of 79 when he tried to bring a half pound of marijuana into Tokyo that Japan doesn't fuck around with their drug laws. Even if it was the U.S post war treaty that was the cause of the imposed ban, Japan STRICTLY imposes punishment to any growth, sale, distribution and research of the hemp plant in Japan. Not even famous celebrities, like Mccartney, former member of the greatest band of all time gets a pass. In 2010, Paris Hilton, one of the wealthiest brand ambassadors whose family name has business interests in hotels all over major cities in Japan also did not get a pass, as she was denied an entry visa because of her recent drug convictions in Vegas. She didn't even have drugs in her suitcase like McCartney did. Japan, like Canada and their DUI ban turns away those that have prior convictions from the privilege of touring, entertaining, branding or leisure visiting. Unlike America, fame and money do not equal power. Law and treaties seem to speak louder than ALL.
After WW2, all hemp plants were destroyed and the brainwashing negating any positive or spiritual uses of marijuana in Japan began circa 1945 and still remains. There are chants and temples dedicated to cannabis in Japan, part of the Shinto religion that is the second most influential religion aside from Buddhism that speaks of the cannabis plant as a spiritual entity. Bob Marley and I and many others would concur. Cannabis helps to open pathways of energy used in ritual and meditation for Rastas and Hindus as well. VICE did a great piece on the history of cannabis in Japan, how the blatant refusal to see the plant as medicine has limited them in the place of modern scientists all proving that cancer and cannabis have a beneficial healing link and how the current position of marijuana as a dangerous drug is laughable considering how much Japanese use and abuse alcohol and tobacco. Before the war, hemp was used to make strong rope which was used to laboriously pull giant stones to create the great samurai castles destroyed by Allied forces during the war. Hemp rope was replaced by U.S imported nylon rope. And what we see in Japan today, like the castles themselves are replicated replacements of what was destroyed before.
My desire to live in Japan was stronger than my need to stay stoned in LA so i miraculously proved to myself that I could actually go longer than 2 months (my previous record) without smoking weed and going crazy. Although I often considered myself addicted to the substance, I have been surviving without it for nearly 3 months. I was well aware that smoking weed was a buffer and an escape from the daily stresses of being a sex worker, for creativity as an artist and intensifying sex and food. Despite the stereotypes of being unproductive, which might be true for some stoners, for me, it made me numb out the pain of working so hard, long and late hours, bad clients and non payment...and sometimes, it was just used as a really FUCKING good time! Like Paul McCartney, I would take risks which sometimes ended up being stupid mistakes so I wouldn't have to fear being without my cannabis comfort companion for any amount of time. I did not always (but usually I would) get away with it and would have to face the consequences of my actions. I was questioned for 5 hrs by Canadian immigration trying to drive thru with a pipe and then finally turned away from a visit to Vancouver the way Paris was turned away from Tokyo. A friend of mine spent 2 months in Japanese jail recently trying to bring 10 grams into the country. 9 days for Paul and he brought half a pound in the 80s so I suppose fame and fortune did offer him a little bit of leeway. My friend was in a Nagoya jail for 2 months! I've heard of it being around for sale here. But its $70 for ONE GRAM. So it is pretty much the same as quitting for me. If Im going to pay cocaine prices, id rather be doing cocaine or nothing at all. I'll wait til I return back to LA. I try not think about it much, my brain has honestly adjusted. It's like having sex without a condom, it may feel amazing but its just usually not an option so, despite any stubbornness that some want to retain, your brain can and will adjust to get what it can out of this life. Humans are pleasure seeking survivors that way.
No comments:
Post a Comment