Zur Diskussion / Up for Discussion. Gefährdet die Cannabislegalisierung Kinder und Jugendliche? / Does Cannabis Legalization Endanger Children and Adolescents?

Abstract

Does Cannabis Legalization Endanger Children and Adolescents? The Cannabis Act (CanG) came into force on April 1, 2024. It regulates the "controlled supply of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes". In the USA, legalization has contributed to a decrease in the risk perception of the health hazards of consumption and an increase in risky consumption patterns, including among adolescents. The use of cannabis-related emergency and addiction treatment has risen sharply. Similar developments are now to be feared for Germany. For children and adolescents with cannabis-related disorders, a high standard of quality is maintained in the addiction departments of child and adolescent psychiatric and psychotherapeutic clinics with qualified withdrawal treatment and the subsequent treatment of comorbid mental disorders. However, the number of hospital beds is not sufficient to meet demand. This also applies to the medical rehabilitation measures for children and adolescents with the indications of cannabis abuse and addiction, which are too limited. There is a risk that children and young people will suffer in two ways as a result of the change in drug policy. Conclusion: The CanG sends the wrong signal for addiction prevention. Just a few months after the CanG came into force, the cannabis industry is already expanding. International evidence indicates that legalization endangers the health of the younger generation. Instead of a CanG, the better path for young people would have been to strengthen cannabis-related education and prevention in Germany.