Which facts should parents know?

Parents should above all know three things about cannabis: which rules apply to minors, which health risks are established for young people, and that use can affect development. These facts help you to talk objectively, without playing things down or dramatising them. The following overview summarises the established points.

The legal position for minors

Possession of cannabis is permitted under the Cannabis Act (KCanG) only from the age of 18. Adults may hold 25 grams for personal use and 50 grams at their place of residence (section 3 KCanG). This rule does not apply to minors.

Consumption in the immediate presence of minors is prohibited under section 5 KCanG. Anyone who passes cannabis on to children or young people commits a criminal offence under section 34 KCanG. For a person over 21, a particularly serious case is generally present, with a prison sentence of three months to five years (section 34(3) KCanG).

The young brain in development

The young brain is in an important stage of development. Use during this time can affect that development. According to the BIÖG, this applies in particular to memory, which is heavily challenged in youth.

According to drugcom, an early start to use leads to lasting impairments of cognitive performance. That is a reason to inform young people about this connection.

Memory and school qualifications

The BIÖG points out that the school or vocational qualification can, in the worst case, be at risk because memory works less well. For parents this is a concrete point that they can discuss with their child. For many young people the connection is more tangible than general warnings.

School problems can have other causes, so use should not be the only explanation. What matters is taking changes seriously and looking together for causes.

Dependence and psychological consequences

According to the BIÖG, roughly one in eight people who use cannabis becomes dependent. The figure shows that dependence is no marginal issue. It does not arise with every use, however. According to drugcom, a psychological dependence can develop with regular use. The BIÖG names use once or more often per week as a factor that increases the risk, and describes that it then becomes difficult to reduce or stop use altogether.

The BIÖG also points out that people who use cannabis develop psychosis more often than people who do not. The connection should be taken seriously. It is statistical, and according to Cannabisprävention des Bundes, causation does not automatically follow from it.

Which facts you should not overrate

• Individual experience reports do not say anything about all young people.
• Blanket statements such as “Cannabis always causes addiction” do not match the facts.
• The statement “Cannabis is harmless” does not match the facts either, because the risks are particularly high for young people.

If you pass on a figure, name the source and the date. That way your child can look up where it comes from.

Prevention: turning facts into conversation

Facts work best when they fit into the child's everyday life. Do not just name figures. Ask what your child is interested in about cannabis and which consequences matter most for its daily life. That is how information becomes a conversation. An overview of health effects in general is provided by the article What health effects does cannabis have overall?.

Forms of use and THC content

The BIÖG points out that cannabis can have very different effects depending on dose and form of use. For young people under 21, cannabis passed on by a cannabis association (Anbauvereinigung) may contain at most 10 percent THC (section 19(3) KCanG). The BIÖG warns: the higher the THC content, the more dangerous it is, especially for young people.

According to the BIÖG, the risk of overdose rises with very high THC content, and a “bad trip” becomes more likely.

What studies say about effects

Studies on cannabis vary in their strength of evidence. Some results are well established, others rest on a few investigations or on surveys that depend on recall. What matters for parents is the distinction between established connections and provisional indications. The BIÖG points to established risks, for example for memory and school performance.

It is equally important that not every effect occurs in every person. Risks are no guarantee, and there is no all-clear when a child is affected.

Recognising and refuting myths

Many statements about cannabis circulate that are only half true. These include the claim that cannabis is harmless because it is plant-based, or the idea that you can stop at any time. Anyone who recognises such statements can object calmly. A good counter-argument is a specific figure from a reliable source, for example from the BIÖG's information.

Fear is no good adviser either. Exaggerations lead children to prefer information from the internet, which is less reliable.

Next steps

• Read the BIÖG information on cannabis for parents.
• Note the facts you want to discuss with your child.
• Check sources and dates before passing on figures.

Where to find materials is shown in Which brochures for parents on cannabis are there?. The legal position for minors is summarised in What does the KCanG regulate on youth protection?.