I want to order some tree bark for cosmetic making. This particular product is Mimosa Hostilis root bark. Now it turns out that this stuff, alongside being amazing for making healing soap, is also a possible ingredient in ayahuasca analogue brews because it contains DMT in small doses. Basically it’s not orally psychoactive, you can’t just eat it and get high so it should be ok to import, right?
Now, DMT is a listed controlled substance in Japan, but I can’t find any information on what the legal position of this root bark is. I can find it for sale here in Japan but it’s mad expensive and comes from dodgy looking websites. The place I intend to buy from is in Europe and they ship to Japan.
I contacted a Japanese legal firm and they said that if I was caught importing a controlled substance then I could be arrested, but it seems a gray area here as this bark isn’t actually a controlled substance. FYI, orange juice also contains a trace amount of DMT, and so do our bodies so it can’t be illegal to merely contain it.
I guess my real question is, does anyone know more about this? Has anyone ordered anything like this and been arrested? I know the chances are customs will never bother to even look inside my parcel, but if they did I really DO NOT think it’s worth getting arrested so any proper solid info is much much appreciated. Thanks everyone!
4 comments
Not a lawyer and not a definitive source.
DMT is contained in many natural products/items (some plants found natively in Japan have high levels of it that can be converted to DMT), but isn’t psychoactive without a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. On it’s own, the root bark should be fine and might raise some eyebrows if your importing a metric ton of it and also were importing a known inhibitor.
If you’re not reselling it or importing a very small personal amount, and it isn’t for party fun, it’s (probably) ok.
Amazon Japan does not seem to carry it but USA does though, so perhaps there is an issue
When someone says ‘its a gray issue’ here, what they actually mean is that if the inspector is having a bad day or doesn’t like you, then it’s a real issue.
To give you an example, I had a 3/4 empty toothpaste in my carry on. Normal Colgate toothpaste, not the travel size one. The guard was already giving me a shit look on the way in, perhaps because I was dressed like a homeless person and hadn’t shaved from my vacation. I’m old. I don’t really care anymore. Sure, that’s “my fault”
They went through my luggage with a fine comb and were seemingly disappointed that I wasn’t carrying every hard drug possible, so they made it a loud huge production to confiscate my toothpaste. I told him to put it on a scale and weigh it for the allowed amount and they loved me even more. In the end, I lost my toothpaste and they held me for 2 hours.
A person who sold Mimosa tea containing DMT has been aressted and procecuted for the violation of drug control laws ([https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO57059170R20C20A3AC1000/](https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO57059170R20C20A3AC1000/)). It seems that the case is now being severery diputed in the Japanese court.
[This](https://www.maff.go.jp/pps/j/information/language_top.html) is the place you should be asking instead of asking a lawyer.