Recreational cannabis has been legal in Luxembourg since 21 July, which means that households can cultivate up to four plants and adults are allowed to consume what they harvest in their own home. However, since cannabis is still considered a gateway drug, some psychiatrists and psychologists are concerned by this latest development.
Polls show that close to a third of Luxembourgers aged 15-18 have taken a puff from a joint at least once in their lives. Psychiatrist Marc Graas, who regularly treats young consumers, has expressed fears that the right for adults to consume cannabis at home risks creating a bigger temptation for youths.
Graas specifically warns about the effects of cannabis on a developing brain, which he says is worse than that of other drugs: “The consequence of consumption, particularly among young people, is that people might face psychosis more often, that they have difficulties thinking, behaving, and keeping up attention. They are more impulsive and are proven to have a higher sensitivity for depressive breakdowns.”
At ‘Impuls’, a drug counselling centre for youths, people welcome the legalisation and fight against stigmatisation as it will mean that more people are prone to seek help when their consumption turns into a problem. Youths caught with cannabis by police have to get counselling here as the substance remains prohibited for them.
Psychologist Nora Vitali explains that the same goes for youths caught having excessively consumed alcohol and who were hospitalised. However, since society is much more used to alcohol, the rate of cases that Impuls treats is much lower, argues Vitali. She therefore fears that fewer cannabis patients end up being sent to councillors once the drug has become more accepted in Luxembourg.
Although neither the psychiatrist nor the psychologist want to be alarmists, both plead for abstinence in youth as cannabis consumption is shown to have detrimental effects even for occasional consumers.
