BERLIN, June 24 (Xinhua) -- On the eve of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (also known as World Drug Day) on June 26, the German Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) reported a worrying increase in cannabis use among the country's young people aged between 12 and 25 since 2016.
According to a nationwide BZgA representative survey conducted in 2018, 22 percent of 18 to 25-year-olds in Germany claim to have used cannabis at least once in the past 12 months.
In 2016, the respective figure was 16.8 percent, and in 2008 11.6 percent. Furthermore, 8 percent of adolescents aged between 12 and 17 have used cannabis at least once in the last 12 months, compared to 6.9 percent in 2016.
Heidrun Thaiss, head of the BZgA, said that "the increase in cannabis use among young people is a cause for concern," adding that especially for young people, the consumption of cannabis is associated with high health risks. The earlier in life and the more frequently consumed, the greater the risk of developing psychosis.
The German federal government's Drug Commissioner, Marlene Mortler, has also warned against the risks associated with the use of cannabis ahead of World Drug Day.
"Anyone who claims that cannabis is harmless is mistaken. Cannabis is and remains a drug with high health risks, especially for regularly consuming adolescents. Therefore a debate about legalization completely misses the target," Mortler said.
