The NUMBER of young people who died due to drug use in Germany has more than doubled since 2016, public broadcaster NDR reports, citing its own research. “In Germany, a total of 131 people under the age of 22 died in 2021 as a result of drug use”, NDR announced after research conducted in the competent institutions of the German federal states.

Among those who died last year were also three children under the age of 13, and the total number of deaths after drug use rose in 2021 to a record 1926. Experts currently do not know the cause of the sudden increase in victims of drug use among young people.

“This figure, although not official, still shows that a new direction is needed in the fight against addiction. Drug addiction must no longer be a taboo topic. Addicts need help, not exclusion from society”, said Burkhard Blienert, the federal government's commissioner for addiction policy.

Several deaths at illegal rave parties

The NDR investigation was launched after several deaths of young people at illegal rave parties. According to the experiences of participants at these parties, drug use has increased in recent years, as has the number of underage participants at these illegal gatherings.

At the same time, the willingness to help people who find themselves in acute danger due to drug use has decreased. Thus, the death of a 20-year-old at a rave party in Cologne is also linked to the fact that none of those present wanted to call emergency services for a long time.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach declined to comment on the NDR public broadcaster's investigation. The current government recently presented a reform of the narcotics law that would legalize cannabis use. The government wants to legalize cannabis use in order to reduce the criminalization of users and more easily control the trade and use of marijuana.

Source: index.hr