昨年の大麻検挙者、最多６４８２人　初めて覚醒剤上回る―警察庁

　昨年１年間に全国の警察が大麻事件で検挙した人が前年比２１．３％増の６４８２人となり、過去最多を更新したことが２１日、警察庁のまとめで分かった。覚醒剤の検挙者数は３．４％減の５９１４人で、統計を取り始めた１９５８年以降、初めて大麻犯が覚醒剤犯を上回った。
　大麻犯を年齢層別に見ると、最多は２０代の３５４５人、次いで２０歳未満の１２２２人、３０代が９７４人だった。昨年は日本大学アメリカンフットボール部で大麻とみられる違法薬物を所持したり購入したりする事件が発覚。東京農業大のボクシング部でも販売目的の大麻所持容疑で複数の部員が逮捕された。（2024/03/21-10:08）

The number of people handled by Japanese police for cases related to cannabis in 2023 jumped 21.3 pct from the year before to hit a record high of 6,482, a National Policy Agency survey report showed Thursday.
   The report also showed that police took action against 5,914 people in stimulant cases last year, down 3.4 pct. This means that more people were handled by police over cannabis than over stimulants for the first time since the survey started in 1958.
   Of those involved in police-handled cannabis cases, 3,545 were in their 20s, making up the largest group, followed by 1,222 people under 20 and 974 people in their 30s.
   Last year, some members of Nihon University's American football club were found to have possessed or purchased illegal drugs believed to be cannabis, and members of Tokyo University of Agriculture's boxing club were arrested on suspicion of possessing cannabis for profit.
   Furthermore, the number of people handled by police for crimes related to so-called dangerous drugs, or designer drugs with effects similar to those of stimulants and cannabis, rapidly increased in recent years. After hitting a peak in 2015, the total of such people decreased as shops selling designer drugs were eliminated in the country. However, the total started to increase in 2022 and came to 424 in 2023, up by 145.