In Forstinning there is no drug problem among young people – that’s what the police say. It is considered normal for young people to explore boundaries. This includes the consumption of alcohol and other drugs. Whether that is good or bad is not up for debate here. But there are good and bad reactions to it. And the municipality of Forstinning is responding in an exemplary manner.
It may be that no more and no fewer young people smoke weed in Forstinning than elsewhere. But if among those youngsters there is even one who underestimates the effects of a joint, becomes addicted to cannabis, develops a use-induced psychosis or depression, or for whom toking is a gateway into the world of harder drugs, then so be it a problem – namely for the young people concerned.
Those responsible in the municipal council and town hall probably see it that way too. Because there you don’t want to watch the young people smoking weed while twiddling their thumbs. Instead, the community is being inventive and trying to get in touch with the young people through an innovative project. Hats off to so much commitment!
There is still a little need for optimization in the Kifferbankerl project. Because the presentation of the website does not correspond to what grabs the attention of young people: The simple look with a light green background and black uniform font may appear clean – but the target group is at least on in the age of Tik Tok, Instagram and Snapchat pictures and videos used to, in color and liveliness.
Even more important than a visual adjustment would be the indication of sources for each of the extremely well thought-out pieces of information. Because while many people do not recognize misinformation as such, it is invaluable to teach the younger generation to be meticulous about the origin of information. If such a source is not given at all, as on the Kifferbankerl website, it unfortunately does not meet the criteria of a trustworthy source.
However, a pilot project would not be one if it was perfectly developed from the start. In this respect, it is nevertheless true that if other communities step up and take over the project, it could save some young people from problems with their cannabis use.