A 14.5% Increase Compared to the Previous Year
In Germany, where recreational cannabis has been legalized, there was a sharp increase in addiction cases last year.
On July 17, Yonhap News reported, citing the daily S?ddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), that the number of patients treated for cannabis-related addiction symptoms in Germany last year rose significantly compared to the previous year.
According to the insurance company KKH, 250,500 patients were treated last year for cannabis-related symptoms such as acute intoxication, withdrawal symptoms, and mental disorders. This figure represents a 14.5% increase compared to 2023, equating to 30 people per 10,000 population. By age group, the highest rates were among those aged 25?29 (95 per 10,000) and 45?49 (45 per 10,000).
KKH stated, "The number of diagnoses was the highest in the past 10 years, and the annual growth rate also jumped significantly for the first time in a while." The German Center for Addiction Issues (DHS) also pointed out that the number of patients hospitalized due to cannabis has increased sevenfold compared to 2000, and that cannabis now produces the second highest number of addiction patients after alcohol.
Previously, in April last year, the German government legalized recreational cannabis. The intention was to bring already widespread cannabis use out into the open, eradicate the black market, and protect young people.
According to the revised narcotics law, the sale of recreational cannabis remains prohibited, but individuals are allowed to grow cannabis themselves or obtain it through so-called "cannabis clubs," which are a type of collective cultivation group. It is estimated that between 4 million and 5 million people, or about 5% of the total population, regularly smoke cannabis in Germany.
However, even after legalization, it has remained difficult to obtain cannabis legally, and contrary to the original intent, there have been claims that the black market for cannabis has grown even larger. As medical cannabis became more widely permitted, the number of "fake insomnia patients" seeking prescriptions to obtain cannabis also increased significantly.
In response, the new government, which took office in May, is considering reintroducing regulations on recreational cannabis. The German Ministry of Health has prepared a draft amendment to the law that would ban online prescriptions for medical cannabis. However, some have raised concerns that restricting online prescriptions could further expand the black market.
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