Alcohol and crystal meth consumption in increase

Health risk in alcohol is often underestimated

04/04/2013

The German Center for Addiction Issues (DHS) has the „Yearbook addiction 2013“ released. In it, the experts explicitly point out the dangerous tendencies in the often trivialized and underestimated alcohol consumption. Alcohol is one of the most common triggers for hospital deliveries and even small amounts can have a long-term serious impact on health, warns the DHS in a recent press release. The risks of the significantly increased consumption of the fashion drug Crystal Meth are also discussed in the yearbook.

„The diagnosis Mental and behavioral disorders due to alcohol is the third most common in hospital statistics, in men even the most common diagnosis of in-patient treatment“, reports the DHS. In addition, according to the experts, typical alcohol-related illnesses, such as a „Liver cirrhosis, alcohol-related pancreatitis, alcohol-related cancers and accidents and injuries under the influence of alcohol.“ While other drugs, such as Crystal Meth, may be even more dramatic, alcohol and tobacco continue to be the drugs with the most far-reaching impacts on public health given the high levels of consumption.

Fashion drug Crystal Meth in Germany on the rise?
But alcohol is by no means the only drug with serious health consequences that is growing in popularity. In a separate article, the DHS is also dedicated to the increasing consumption of the fashion drug Crystal Meth. This leads to an extreme physical and mental decline and also has an extremely high addictive potential. According to the DHS, the destructive consequences include increased aggression, violence, paranoia and increased suicides. „In addition, consumption usually leads to clear and sometimes irreversible deficits of the cognitive functions“, Report the search experts.

Risks of alcohol consumption underestimated
According to the DHS, the biggest problem with alcohol consumption is that most people are unaware of the health risks of drinking alcohol. Not only the frequent drinkers put their health at risk. „Even alcohol levels, which are considered by most to be low, can - when regularly consumed - damage the organs, increase the risk of cancer and cause cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks“, explain the experts for addiction issues. Given the indicated average consumption in the „Yearbook addiction 2013“ However, it can be assumed anyway that many people in Germany consume extremely high levels of alcohol per year.

A bath full of alcohol a year
Including non-drinkers, the average amount of pure alcohol consumed in Germany is 9.6 liters per capita, according to the German National Center for Addiction Issues. „These are approximately 325 bottles of beer (107.2 liters), 27 bottles of wine (20.2 liters), 5.5 bottles of sparkling wine (4.1 liters) and more than 7 bottles of spirits (5.4 liters).“, reports the charitable organization. „The amount corresponds to the content of a household bathtub, filled to the brim“, so the message of the DHS. According to the experts, die „the consequences of alcohol consumption alone or in combination with smoking in Germany annually 74,000 people.“ Alcohol consumption is only a relatively low risk, as long as no more than 12 grams of pure alcohol per day are consumed by women and 24 grams of alcohol per day by men. However, even a small beer (0.3 liters), according to the experts, about 13 grams of pure alcohol. With a glass of wine (0.2 liters) around 16 grams are achieved.

Billions of dollars in economic damage from alcohol
According to the figures of DHS, society also suffers considerable economic damage from alcohol consumption. For in Germany, the estimated economic costs amount to about 26.7 billion euros, according to DHS. For the whole of Europe, the damage is estimated at around 270 billion euros. Be there „not only the direct treatment costs of alcohol-related illnesses, but also the economic losses due to absenteeism at work, early retirement and incapacity for work or work“ taken into account.

Improvement of alcohol prevention required
According to the search experts, the negative health and economic consequences of alcohol consumption could be significantly reduced by improving alcohol prevention. With the support of the European Commission, possible effective preventive measures in 22 European countries have been tested and evaluated, with the scientists concluding that: „Increasing prices through tax increases, time limits on sales, exemptions on the road and effective legal regulation of advertising“ are the most appropriate prevention measures.

Increase in crystal consumption locally limited?
The DHS is dedicated to that „Yearbook addiction 2013“ Also, the increasing consumption of crystal meth (N-methyl amphetamine), which was recorded mainly in Bavaria and Saxony. This relatively easy to produce drug is attributed to amphetamines and show first „a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, increases heart activity and blood pressure, generates feelings of euphoria and increased wakefulness.“ According to the information provided by the police, the distribution of the drug in 2011 has increased significantly compared to previous years. Here, an increase of 48.8% in the seizure volume and 163.7% in the first-time drug users was registered. However, so far the problem remains limited to a few areas in Germany, such as Saxony and the Bavarian-Czech border area.

Representative studies called for the proliferation of crystal meth
In the context of the addiction report of the federal government last year was warned that currently Crystal is the most dangerous drug on the market. But before this panic is triggered, according to the DHS should first be examined how widespread Crystal Meth in Germany actually is. So far, the massive increase in crystal consumption seems to be regionally limited. Here, representative studies on the dissemination of the Crystal Meths are required in order to be able to make a statement about the development of the Crystal consumption, so the conclusion of the DHS. Also had to „the communication via Crystal Meth in an enlightening, target-group-specific manner.“ Because - as most psychoactive substances - Crystal is consumed, because the consumers of it promise certain effects. „This applies to the legal substances alcohol and tobacco as well as to the illegal substances“, so the message of the DHS. Crystal may be particularly attractive here, since the spectrum of action is ideally suited to the requirements of today: „Always faster, ever longer. And always be better!“ If here the consumption behavior of young people should change, then must „also the social evaluation and presentation of success and failure, of work and leisure, of performance and achievement justice change“, emphasizes the DHS. (Fp)