TOKYO, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Japanese police investigated a record 6,832 individuals in cannabis-related cases in the country in 2025, with authorities warning of a growing spread of drug use among young people driven in part by social media, police data revealed Thursday.
According to the National Police Agency (NPA), people in their 20s and younger accounted for more than 70 percent of the total.
A breakdown by age group shows that teenagers under 20 made up 1,373 of those investigated, while individuals in their 20s accounted for 3,633.
The NPA also conducted a survey of more than 1,000 individuals caught for cannabis-related offenses last year. Among respondents aged in their 20s or younger, over 40 percent said they had interacted with drug dealers online. Of those, more than 90 percent reported using social media platforms such as X and Telegram.
NPA officials vowed to step up public awareness campaigns targeting younger generations and work to eliminate harmful online content.
Meanwhile, the total number of people investigated for drug-related offenses in 2025 nationwide increased by 1,112 from the previous year, reaching 14,574. ■
