Every fifth German is alcoholic

20 percent of Germans suffer from alcohol problems

26/04/2011

Consumption of alcoholic beverages remains a serious problem in Germany. This is reported by the German National Center for Addiction Issues in its yearbook addiction in 2011. While tobacco consumption continues to decline, alcohol consumption remains at a high level. The managing director of the German main office for addiction questions, Raphael Gaßmann, described the situation with the alcohol as „dramatic“.

According to the study conducted by the German National Center for Addiction Issues, around one in five Germans between the ages of 18 and 64 has an alcohol problem. Although the annual per capita consumption of pure alcohol is slightly declining, but „The consumption of alcohol remains decidedly too high, too risky, too far-reaching. "Raphael Gaßmann emphasizes that the consumption of alcohol by young people is a major concern for the experts, as more and more people between the ages of 20 and 25 suffer alcohol poisoning every year.

73,000 deaths a year from alcohol
Overall, the number of annual alcohol poisonings has risen significantly since the year 2000 to 2009 with an increase of 112 percent. According to the German Department for Addiction Issues, the alcohol poisoning among young adults between the ages of 20 and 25 has even increased by about 194 percent, that of the elderly by about 181 percent. In addition, according to yearbook addiction in 2011 about 73,000 deaths a year through „alcohol-related health disorders“ conditionally. Thus, one-fifth of all Germany-wide deaths between 35- to 65-year-olds are caused by alcohol every year, with men even accounting for a quarter, said Raphael Gaßmann. According to the expert, it can be assumed that one in five Germans between the ages of 18 and 64 has an alcohol problem.

Tobacco consumption continues to decline
Overall, the negative development of alcohol, including the positive effects of tobacco consumption again. Here, the experts of the German Main Office for Addiction Issues, not least due to the massive legislative efforts, once again noted a noticeable decline in tobacco consumption in 2009. Although it is 1.6 percent less than half as high as in the previous year (3.8 percent in 2008), but the pleasing trend of recent years continued, said Raphael Gaßmann. However, the expert also sees considerable room for maneuver in tobacco consumption. In Germany, around 29 percent of 18- to 64-year-olds still smoke, with around 32.8 percent of men smoking and around 25.5 percent of women. The deaths caused by tobacco use amount to around 110,000 to 140,000 per year, according to the German main office for addiction issues

Other narcotic rather neglect
The other addictive substances in the German addiction issue in their yearbook Addiction 2011 are of rather negligible importance. Thus, there is no definite trend in the drugs with addictive potential, not least because the preparations are often obtained on the Internet without corresponding prescriptions. For illicit drugs, the number of consumers is relatively low at around 3.3 per 1000 inhabitants aged 15 to 64 years. Accordingly negligible appear the health consequences in the current yearbook addiction. For example, Raphael Gaßmann assumes that only 220,000 people regularly consume cannabis throughout Germany, and even harder drugs such as amphetamines or cocaine make the numbers significantly lower. Thus, the health consequences in the population, in particular compared to mass media such as alcohol or tobacco appear relatively low. (Fp)

Picture: Gerd Altmann