Villa Schöpflin, a subsidiary of the Schöpflin Foundation, has been supporting young people and their families for over 20 years with counseling and prevention programs focused on cannabis. In this interview, Health Educator and Prevention Specialist Lena Wehrle shares insights into the first year following the enactment of the new law.

Cannabis use was partially legalized in Germany in April 2024. Villa Schöpflin criticized the law — what concerns led to this?

In principle, we welcome the decriminalization of cannabis users — criminal prosecution often leads to stigmatization and social exclusion. Now we can engage more openly with users and implement targeted prevention measures. Nevertheless, we have expressed some concerns regarding the new law.

What we view critically is that individuals under 21 can legally obtain cannabis. At that age, the brain is still in a sensitive developmental phase, which can be affected by drug use. We are also concerned that young people may perceive the risks less or misjudge them, as partial legalization increasingly frames use as socially »normal«. 

It is therefore especially important that the law clearly regulates and restricts access to the substance for minors. In this context, we are also calling for an amendment to the Youth Protection Act to ensure that young people remain adequately protected.

Where do you feel validated after one year?

Over the past year, we have observed growing uncertainty in many families — especially among parents and other key caregivers. Questions like »How harmful is cannabis use really?« or »What are the concrete effects of using it?« have become more common. At the same time, many families and circles of friends are now discussing the topic more openly. Personal or observed use is addressed more frequently, and attitudes toward it are being questioned.

Cannabis has also become more visible in public spaces — its use is increasingly out in the open. This confirms our concern that the new law normalizes cannabis socially and lowers risk awareness. Among young people especially, the impression can arise that cannabis is harmless. Unfortunately, we must also observe that minors sometimes have easier access to cannabis today — for example, through adult friends or relatives.

What we cannot yet assess after one year is whether cannabis use among adolescents has actually increased. Initial study results are expected by the end of the year. What is already evident, however, is a decrease in court proceedings, since cannabis is no longer subject to the Narcotics Act. Although we generally support decriminalization, this also makes it harder to reach young users early on: many previously came to counseling due to mandates within criminal proceedings.

Villa Schöpflin works closely with the police and youth services in the district. What are these institutions reporting?

Staff in open and mobile youth work report that many young people now talk very openly about their cannabis use. This opens up new opportunities to engage with them, educate them about risks, and refer them to support services. The drug counseling center »Arbeitskreis Rauschmittel e.V.« is also part of our network. Together, we are working on developing new ways to reach young people and connect them with our prevention and counseling programs.

What alternative approaches are you using to reach young people?

We have closely examined in which situations the police or youth services can refer users to us. For instance, we distribute so-called »counseling vouchers« to the judiciary, police, and youth welfare offices in the region. These vouchers can be handed out during one-on-one conversations. Parents or legal guardians — or the young people themselves — can check off which topics they would like counseling on and provide their contact information. We then proactively reach out to the family.

In addition, our workshops with school classes offer an initial point of contact. Students are usually between 14 and 15 years old, so we can raise their awareness before they potentially try cannabis for the first time. Through the workshops, they get to know Villa Schöpflin, our premises, and our staff. This significantly lowers the barrier for seeking counseling later.

Another important point of contact is school social workers. We maintain close contact with them and exchange information regularly. They can refer students to us as needed.

Your workshop »Cannabis – quo vadis?« provides students with factual, evidence-based information about cannabis and illustrates its effects on different areas of life. There’s also the individual counseling program »Realize it! X-tra«. What kind of reactions do you observe from students?

In the workshops, there is a lot of discussion about both the negative and positive effects of cannabis use. There is particularly strong interest in learning more about the physical effects and associated risks. A recurring wish expressed by young people is for a more open approach to the topic — especially within their families. We also encourage parents to talk openly with their children about cannabis.

The workshops also raise many questions about the new law: »What does partial legalization mean?«, »When is legal use allowed?«, »What consequences should I expect if I use it?«, and »How does use affect getting a driver’s license?«.This requires thorough preparation on our part so we can provide young people with accurate, evidence-based information.

Overall, the number of counseling requests has not noticeably increased since legalization. While the end of mandatory court-ordered counseling means fewer compulsory referrals, many concerned parents and legal guardians now come to us out of their own initiative, worried about how cannabis is being handled in their environment or by their children. School social workers also remain in close contact with us to facilitate referrals.

The new federal government of Germany has announced that it will review the impact of the law. An evaluation is set to begin in fall 2025. What would you like to see from a prevention perspective?

We hope to see a stronger focus on youth and consumer protection. It’s particularly important to us that the pathways to support services for young people are clearly defined. Prevention work should be further developed and permanently established at the national level so that more low-threshold counseling services are available and young users can be reached at an early stage. This requires adequate financial and human resources for counseling and prevention facilities. Strengthening these institutions should be a key consideration in future legislative adjustments.