Japan¡¯s health ministry announced Wednesday that it has classified cannabinol (CBN), a compound derived from cannabis, as a ¡°designated drug,¡± banning its manufacture, import, sale and use starting June 1, except for limited medical purposes.

Under the revised ordinance, CBN products ¡ª sold domestically both at in-person stores and online as gummies, cookies, oils and vapes ¡ª will effectively disappear from the consumer market.

Only patients with specific conditions, such as intractable diseases with no alternative treatment, will be allowed to use them.

Consumers who are currently in possession of any products containing CBN must dispose of them by June 1, the ministry said.

CBN is a cannabinoid produced when tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis, oxidizes over time. It is chemically distinct from cannabidiol (CBD), another cannabis-derived compound that is currently legal in Japan if it contains no THC.

It is widely used both domestically and internationally as a wellness supplement, particularly for purposes such as improving sleep quality, pain relief and relaxation. It is also used by patients with intractable epilepsy.

While CBD is generally considered nonpsychoactive, CBN at high doses is believed to have mild psychoactive effects ¡ª weaker than those of THC but potentially affecting the central nervous system.

The ministry¡¯s move follows a series of reported health incidents linked to CBN products. In one case in May, a university student in Yamanashi Prefecture suffered a fracture jumping from a dormitory window after consuming cookies believed to contain CBN.

A government panel of experts concluded that CBN has a high probability of causing psychotropic effects and potential harm to public health, particularly when consumed in large amounts. Concerns have also been raised about consumer products marketed with extremely high doses ¡ª sometimes exceeding 1,000 milligrams ¡ª which critics say encourage overconsumption.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from industry groups, including the Japan Cannabinoid Federation, which argues that CBN has ¡°extremely weak¡± psychoactive properties and has been sold safely in Japan for years.

The group warned that a blanket ban could devastate a domestic market estimated at around ?10 billion ($62.6 million) annually and force small businesses to discard large amounts of inventory with little transition time.

The owner of a shop selling CBN products in Shibuya, who declined to give his full name, stated that he would comply in full with the new amendment, but that he was disappointed in the decision.

¡°(CBN) is just a natural, better way to help people fall asleep, better than traditional sleeping medicine,¡± he said, saying that his business has decided to stop selling the product entirely from June.