Cannabis products are currently subject to the provisions of the Narcotics Act. They may not be cultivated, imported or exported, acquired, possessed, sold or dispensed. According to the Ginko Foundation Prevention NRW, if the offence only refers to a small amount for personal consumption, there will be no prosecution.

A GA survey of the police and of addiction counsellors and doctors in Bonn shows that the discussion about the pros and cons of legalisation is in full swing. This is against the background that, according to the police union in Bonn, there is already "an increased possession and consumption of drugs, also other than cannabis" (See: Case Figures). The pandemic certainly also contributed to this, and the number of people with mental health problems the police are dealing with in Bonn is increasing.

"The Bonn police union, like the NRW state association, opposes the legalisation of cannabis," explains chair Andreas Gut. Under current law, the substance in question is not classified as "harmless" or "soft", but as a narcotic. Instead of legalising drugs, we should do research on the causes and prevention, says Gut. Cannabis is already approved for medical purposes and can be prescribed by a doctor. "Beyond that, we see no advantages in legalising it." This is because smoking cannabis poses a high health risk. Our bodies become accustomed to the dose. Increasing amounts are needed to get the desired effect.

"Cannabis users have a significantly increased risk of developing psychosis," says Gut, referring to a 2018 study by the German government. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, anxiety and panic attacks, personality disorders and lethargy. Cannabis also severely reduces the ability to drive. "When driving under the influence of cannabis, you put yourself and others at risk." This includes work-related activities, such as the use of heavy machinery. The active substance and its breakdown products can still be detected in the body and in drug tests for a period of days. "The use of cannabis affects the body and its ability to work and drive for several days," warns the president of the police union.

In a joint statement, the counselling centres emphasise that they " tend to support the reorientation and liberalisation of drug policy on the basis of the information available". The prerequisite must be that the new orientation is subject to binding regulations and is embedded in an overall concept of prevention and treatment. Early prevention of addiction remains important to avoid problematic consumption patterns. They call for a collection of scientific findings and facts in the form of model projects or studies "in order to lift the discussion from a speculative to a factual level and to be able to make evidence-based conclusions".

There is no question about cannabis being effective as a medicine, the addiction support of Caritas, Diakonie and VfG emphasise. Addiction physicians are demanding a decision from politicians, even though there is still no consensus in society. In 2014, only 30 percent of the population was in favour of legalising cannabis. Moreover, both counselling centres fear that as a result of the currently tax-free cannabis trade on the black market, severely addicted drug users would continue to obtain the drug illegally.

If legalisation were to happen, there would have to be strict regulations to protect minors, similar to those for nicotine and alcohol. A 16-year-old would still not be allowed to buy cannabis and accordingly not be allowed to consume it. "So we welcome the new direction. But we also expect clarity of approach," Beate Holm comments on behalf of Caritas and Diakonie.

In the outpatient department and on the wards, people are treated who are addicted to cannabis and need help, and there are patients who have already become psychotic after only a few doses, reports LVR medical director Professor Markus Banger. At the same time, there is now an increase in the number of patients in severe crises due to mixed consumption of alcohol, cannabis and amphetamines.

If cannabis is legalised in Germany in the near future, "we can assume that ten to 20 percent more people will consume cannabis than do today", Banger predicts. Certainly not all of them will become addicted. "But in general, it is expected that about five percent of cannabis users will develop an addiction," concludes Banger, who is also head of the Department of Addiction-related Diseases. Demand would increase because the drugs would be readily available and there would be social acceptance. "On the plus side, crime would go down because cultivation, sale and consumption would no longer be punishable," Banger says. "And the cannabis sold would be of good quality without impurities."

Finally, because of legalisation, Banger expects that the state will have to "invest more money from tax revenues in addiction counselling and addiction treatment". Legal questions would also have to be clarified, such as: How high can the blood cannabis concentration of students and teachers be? How much on a bicycle, in a car, as a pilot in an aircraft or as a doctor in an operating theatre? And what about liability? (Original text: Ebba Hagenberg-Miliu / Translation: Jean Lennox)