Which groups face the highest risk?

The risk from cannabis use is highest for young people, for people with pre-existing mental illnesses and for anyone who starts using early. The BIÖG and drugcom name particular risks for these groups.

This article shows which groups are particularly at risk, why this is so and what you can do if you yourself or someone in your circle belongs to one of them.

Young people: the largest group in need of protection

The BIÖG describes that the young brain is in an important stage of development. Use can affect this development. For this reason, cannabis is considered particularly risky for young people, regardless of how possession is regulated for adults.

The consequences are concrete. According to the BIÖG, memory can suffer to such an extent that school-leaving or vocational qualifications are at risk. Anyone who uses regularly during school therefore carries a risk for their own life path. More on this is in the article How does cannabis affect memory and school-leaving qualifications?.

Young adults between 18 and 21

Under section 1 para. 2 of the Youth Courts Act (JGG), young adults are persons who are 18 but not yet 21 at the time of the offence. For supply by a cannabis association (Anbauvereinigung), narrower limits apply to them than to adults: a maximum of 30 grams per calendar month and a THC content of no more than 10 per cent (section 19 para. 3 of the Cannabis Act (KCanG)).

These limits are upper limits on supply and say nothing about whether cannabis is safe. According to cannabispraevention.de, the harmfulness of cannabis depends on age and on how often it is used. Young people are particularly at risk.

People with pre-existing mental illnesses

The BIÖG names a more frequent occurrence of psychoses in people who use cannabis. Drugcom describes that some people bring a genetically based susceptibility to schizophrenia, and that cannabis can trigger a previously hidden schizophrenia. According to drugcom, this is not yet proven beyond doubt. According to cannabispraevention.de, even small amounts could be enough if there is an inborn predisposition to psychosis.

Anyone with a mental illness, or with known psychoses in the family, should discuss their use with the treating doctor. Anyone who wants to resume use after a phase of anxiety, confusion or delusions also needs a specialist assessment for this. An overview of warning signs is in the article Which warning signs point to a psychosis?.

Those who start early

Drugcom describes that starting use early can result in lasting impairment of cognitive performance. Early here means above all youth, the time in which learning and thinking develop strongly. Anyone who starts in this phase should take the risk more seriously than an adult would.

How does your circle of friends affect your own use? The article on this question shows how to recognise such influences.

Stress, sleep and strain

Drugcom describes that psychological problems such as depression or anxiety symptoms increase the risk of misusing cannabis as self-medication. Cannabis then becomes a crutch for getting through everyday life. According to drugcom, the real problem in many cases lies in the underlying psychological condition.

• Watch for lack of sleep, constant stress and withdrawal from former activities.
• Note the situations in which you use and the feelings that come before them.
• Speak to a trusted person or a counselling service.

What you can do

If you belong to one of these groups, it is worth questioning your use honestly. A simple step is to note your use for one week. This shows patterns that people otherwise overlook. Conversations with trusted people help in addition, because outsiders often notice changes earlier.

If you are worried about a person in your circle, raise the subject openly and avoid reproaches. Pointing to counselling services is often more helpful than a debate about morals.

Recognise warning signs before things escalate

Early signs are often inconspicuous. The following points help you classify changes:

• Use happens more often alone or increases in phases of stress.
• School, training or hobbies lose importance.
• Sleep, eating or mood change noticeably over several weeks.

A single sign is no proof. If several come together, a conversation with a trusted person or a counselling service is worthwhile.

What specialists and relatives should bear in mind

Teachers, trainers and parents are often the first to notice changes. It is important to describe observations concretely and not to make a diagnosis. A remark such as “You seem tired lately” opens a conversation more readily than a guess about drugs.

Relatives also need support themselves. Counselling for relatives helps them sort out their own pressure and set realistic limits. This also protects the person you are worried about.

Why shame blocks the way to help

The Sucht & Drogen Hotline of the BIÖG can be reached on 01806 313031. It offers telephone counselling, provides information and refers people to local support services. It is aimed at people with addiction problems and at relatives, friends and colleagues. A phone call is a step with a low threshold.

Staying well informed

Anyone in a risk group should inform themselves from reliable sources, for example the BIÖG or drugcom. These offers explain risks without panic and show when counselling makes sense.

Where to get help

An addiction counselling service helps young people, young adults and adults alike. The Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen maintains an addiction support directory, through which you can find counselling services near you. For psychological complaints, a doctor is the right first point of contact.