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Alarming study: Young people are at risk of slipping into dangerous drug spirals!
The article highlights the dangers of drug use among young people in Hamburg, especially since cannabis legalization in 2024. Experts warn of increasing cases of addiction and problematic consumption patterns.
Alarming study: Young people are at risk of slipping into dangerous drug spirals!
What do the offspring actually do? There has been a worrying development in recent years: more and more young people are falling into risky spirals of addiction. According to Rainer Thomasius, an experienced addiction expert and former head of the DZSKJ, patterns of drug use among young people have become riskier. Especially after the legalization of cannabis on April 1, 2024, it is clear that the originally envisaged goals such as health protection and prevention have not been achieved. Welt informs that despite a decline in alcohol and tobacco consumption, problematic Drug situations are not recorded. This particularly affects those young people who often no longer go to school.
According to Thomasius, the normalization of cannabis use has created a new wave of at-risk youth. These young people, often isolated and with a negative self-image, often have problematic media consumption, the levels of which have exploded since 2021. A quarter of all young people are now affected. While society in this country is increasingly accepting the use of cannabis, the abuse of painkillers and sedatives is increasing at the same time. And not alone: these substances are often combined with alcohol and cannabis, which leads to dangerous mixed consumption patterns.
Health risks and prevention
The Federal Ministry of Health provides important information about the health and social risks of cannabis consumption. An educational campaign is aimed specifically at children, teenagers and young adults between the ages of 12 and 25. This target group is particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of consumption. Information can be accessed on the website infos-cannabis.de. The campaign also aims to actively involve key figures such as parents and teachers.
But there are not only alarming figures about consumption. Studies have shown that early cannabis use is linked to possible damage to brain development and loss of intelligence. It is all the more important that young people are informed about these risks. According to a study, the number of cases of cannabis use disorders among adolescents and young adults has increased in recent years, which underlines the urgency of prevention.
The demand for more education
In view of these developments, Rainer Thomasius demands that it is necessary to introduce a separate school subject, “Health”. In this subject, resilience and life skills are intended to be taught systematically in order to put addiction prevention on a solid foundation. Because one thing is clear: only through targeted education and prevention measures can the harmful trend be stopped.
How the situation will develop in the coming years remains to be seen. Those responsible are faced with the challenge of increasing awareness of the risks of addiction while at the same time responding to the changing consumption patterns of young people. Drug abuse doesn't just end, it requires structured approaches to help at-risk youth.
But here we are again: What do the young people actually do? It seems that the need for action is greater than ever.