Let’s keep this calm and collected, because the internet did what it does best and everyone collectively spiraled, myself included. But despite all the anxiety flying around about a February CBN ban in Japan: it didn’t happen.

A new update was published in the government’s official record (the Kanpō — the only place that actually matters for this stuff), and CBN/cannbinol is not listed. That means that if CBN were getting hit in this round, it would be right there in black and white. Thank goodness, it isn’t.

A lot of the fear came from timing. Japan usually updates designated substances every few months, but this January update was already a pretty big sweep. And because it landed earlier than expected, the idea of a surprise February add-on specifically targeting CBN now is pretty unlikely. Not impossible, but not how Japan usually moves. They don’t tend to drop a full update and then circle back two weeks later like “oh yeah, also this one.” When they want something gone, they’re very clear about it.

Why This Matters

CBN isn’t a party drug. Most people using it are doing so for sleep, anxiety, or to reduce reliance on alcohol or heavier meds. So leaving it untouched (at least for now) feels less like an oversight and more like a deliberate “not this time.” That doesn’t mean CBN is untouchable forever, but it does mean there’s no immediate ban, and no need to panic-dispose of what you already have.

That said, one silver lining for us is that some shops prepped for the worst and ran (or are still running) CBN sales. That includes places like Kush JP, which means you can take advantage of discounted goodies (including my fav, Couch Lock!) without the stress of rushing through them.

Bottom line? Maintain cautious relief, but for once, the sky isn’t falling, and that’s genuinely good news. 🌙

Source: Altnoids Japan Subreddit

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