Listen to the arguments of legalization opponents, and one claim consistently ranks at the top: youth protection. Cannabis is dangerous for young people, they argue, which is why legalization should be reversed. Conservative Union politicians circle back to this argument repeatedly in debates.
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What conservatives persistently ignore, however, are the current numbers and facts. Not only did the first EKOCAN evaluation in autumn show that legalization had no impact on youth consumption—there is also study data from Frankfurt demonstrating that cannabis use among adolescents is at its lowest level in 20 years.
Lower Cannabis Consumption Despite Decriminalization
The Institute for Addiction Research at Frankfurt University has surveyed students annually about their drug consumption since 2002. A monitoring effort of this scope is unique in Germany. Only Hamburg operates a comparable program. Between October 2024 and March 2025, 1,054 students from 82 classes were surveyed as part of this research.
The results painted an entirely different picture than what mainstream media typically presents regarding decriminalization. 78% of respondents reported never having consumed cannabis in their lifetime. 13% had tried it once, 6% consume it occasionally, and 1% each reported regular or daily consumption. This represents a dramatic decline since 2002, when cannabis consumption among youth reached its peak.
The results align with findings from the EKOCAN evaluation, which recorded no increase and indicated there is no acute need for action. The data demonstrates once again: decriminalization did not lead to increased youth consumption, but rather to a continuous decline over many years.
Significant Decline in Alcohol and Other Drugs
Alcohol consumption has also been declining continuously since the early 2000s. In the latest survey, 88% of respondents reported drinking either not at all or only very moderately. More than a quarter of respondents had never consumed alcohol in their entire lives. Only 6% displayed risky consumption patterns, such as heavy weekend drinking. Just 2% identified themselves as excessive drinkers. The opposite was true in 2003, when only 4% of adolescents reported complete abstinence.
Smoking has also lost considerable popularity. 10% of respondents regularly smoke cigarettes. For comparison, at the beginning of the 2000s, that figure was 40%. In the latest survey, 37% of youth reported having tried smoking at some point. At the start of the monitoring period, this figure was 77%. Youth have also increasingly lost interest in alternative smoking methods like shishas. While 76% had tried shisha at its peak in 2007, only 23% reported this experience in the latest survey.
Alternative nicotine products like snus have gained some importance, with 19% of respondents having tried these pouches. Nitrous oxide experienced a brief surge in recent years, but has been declining since 2022. While 17% reported consuming nitrous oxide in 2022, only 13% reported this in the latest survey. As a result of misguided drug policy, synthetic cannabinoids retain some relevance today. 7% of youth have experience with e-liquids containing synthetic cannabinoids—a dangerous substitute that would never have existed if cannabis had not been prohibited.
Significantly Improved Health Awareness
When asked about the reasons for their abstinence, it becomes clear that today’s youth are far more reflective than they were 20 years ago. 57% of respondents expressed health concerns regarding drug consumption. Being health-conscious, fit, and capable holds high value for many of those surveyed.
Many youth simply have no interest in drugs. 74% reported having no interest in drugs whatsoever. The priorities among youth have changed dramatically over the past decades, regardless of whether a substance is prohibited or legal. The study’s publishers also emphasized that prohibitions alone have no impact on youth consumption.
- Information Service Science (idw): Press Release on MoSYD Study 2024
- City of Frankfurt am Main: MoSYD 2024 – Summary of Results (PDF)
- City of Frankfurt am Main: Official Press Release on Drug Trends Study 2024
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