Addiction risks for young people: Experts warn of new drug trends

Addiction risks for young people: Experts warn of new drug trends

An alarming drug problem in the Wetterau! Beatrix Falkenstein, the head of the Center for Youth Consulting and Addiction Aid for the Wetteraukreis, raises the alarm: "I don't know a single school in the Wetterau in which no drugs are consumed!" The situation is terrifying because addiction problems begin in the fifth or sixth grade. Dealers use the surroundings of the schools to offer their dangerous goods. The worrying result? An increasing number of young people who fall into the trap of addiction!

dangers and group compulsion

The numbers speak for themselves! Cannabis, amphetamines and alcohol are the main actors in the addiction landscape of young people. "Very few supermarkets control the ID," complains Falkenstein and warns of the enormous influence of group pressure. To belong, many are willing to cross their own limits. The worrying phenomenon of "pre -glowing" has expanded: previously limited to alcohol, pills and LSD are now also involved. A new trend is laughing gas consumption-a dangerous game that leads many young people on a dangerous way!

And what about the legalization of cannabis? Falkenstein has nothing good to report: "The Enlightenment was miserable!" Many young people think that legal smoke is harmless, but the consequences can be devastating. Her mental health endanger, especially 18 to 25 year olds, because her brain is still under development. Irrversible psychoses and other serious illnesses lurk here.

The digital drug trap

But the dangers do not end with drugs! Falkenstein also warns of excessive cell phone use. Online games, pornography and online gambling are just a few of the dependencies that hide behind the screen. "Not all parents are good role models," she notes, stating that schools are using more and more digital tools, which does not make the situation easier. Control over the media consumption of your own children becomes a wire rope act.

The figures from the Center for Youth Consulting are terrifying: Last year, 831 affected people were supported, with cannabis as the main reason for the advice. Addiction has many faces and can destroy families. Parents often face desperate questions, such as: "Can I throw out my addicted child?" A clear sign of how deep the problems sit. Are we ready to take this fight against drugs and their devastating consequences?