Alcohol abuse has increased among adolescents

More and more adolescents had to be hospitalized for alcohol poisoning

31.01.2011

According to evaluations of the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden, the number of adolescents admitted to a clinic due to alcohol intoxication continues to increase. In the age group of 15 to 19 year olds, the number of inpatient hospital stays increased, while that of the ten to 14 year olds is slightly decreasing. A total of 26428 children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 were hospitalized in Germany for acute alcohol intoxications. According to statistical evaluations come to 100,000 children and adolescents, about 319 acute cases of alcohol intoxication. The total number of treatment cases thus increased by 2.6 percent.

Action "colorful instead of blue"
Under the motto „colorful instead of blue“ DAK continues its nationwide campaign against the increasing alcohol abuse of adolescents. In the new poster competition, students between the ages of 12 and 17 should respond with art and creativity to the so-called coma drinking. Patron is the Drug Commissioner of the Federal Government, Mechthild Dyckmans. A total of 11,000 schools were contacted and invited to participate.

According to the latest federal statistics, about 26,400 children and adolescents with alcohol poisoning landed in the hospital in 2009. This is a new high, although the increase is lower than in 2008. „The development is still alarming“, says DAK CEO Herbert Rebscher. „Because binge drinking with hospitalization is only the tip of the iceberg, parents, teachers and politicians should act swiftly in their areas of responsibility.“ According to a DAK study, every second 15-year-old regularly drinks in the intoxication by drinking at least five glasses of alcohol in a short time.

The DAK campaign „colorful instead of blue“ should bring students to the topic of alcohol abuse for reflection and rethinking. „I know“, so the Federal Drug Commissioner Mechthild Dyckmans to start, „that the competition in schools is used as an opportunity to inform in the classroom about the responsible use of alcohol and the dangers of drinking binge. The creative approach to binge drinking is a great way for schools to make their contribution to addiction prevention. Because schools are - in addition to the parents - very important when it comes to the education of the dangers of drug use and alcohol abuse in particular. The federal, state and local governments must also continue and intensify their preventive measures in order to effectively counter the binge drinking of children and adolescents.“

Together with the drug commissioner sits the successful band „Luxuslärm“ in the federal jury, which selects the federal winner from 16 regional winners after the closing date on 30 April. „Waking up after drinking in the clinic is all, but not cool“, emphasizes the band. In 2010, there are 8,000 students nationwide in the campaign „colorful instead of blue“ took part. Information about the new competition can be found in all DAK service centers or on the Internet at www.dak-buntstattblau.de. The initiative is involved in the „Action crystal clear“, with which the DAK since 2004 educates pupils, teachers and parents about alcohol. (Sb)

Image: Christoph Aron (pixelmaster-x)