Online Help for Crystal Meth Consumers

Advice on the topic „Crystal“ now also possible via anonymous chat

16/12/2014

More and more people consume, according to drug counseling centers, at least in some parts of Germany crystalline methamphetamine („Crystal“). The extremely dangerous and rapidly addictive fashion drug seems to be widespread, especially in the border regions with the Czech Republic. The Federal Center for Health Education (BzgA) has therefore now launched a new online counseling service, through which they would like to better reach and support dependents and vulnerable persons as well as their relatives.

Offer as supplement to existing BZgA online portal www.drugcom.de
The Federal Center for Health Education (BzgA) currently has a special online counseling service on the subject „Crystal Meth“ which is intended to supplement the already existing BZgA online portal www.drugcom.de. As reported by the head office, Crystal consumers and their relatives could now receive help and advice from Monday through Friday from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm as part of a nationwide chat consultation. The users remained anonymous and would be forwarded to the choice of a user name directly to professional consultants who answer questions on the subject and if necessary could provide information on advice centers on the ground or other means of assistance.

Users often consult only when there is already a dependency
Outside the office hours, according to the BzgA, there is also the option of sending inquiries to the advisory team via a protected web form. This should be an attempt to address as many Crystal users or vulnerable, because „Experience has shown that only a portion of those affected use the help of counseling centers or use them only when a dependency has already become established“, explains Prof. Dr. med. Elisabeth Pott, Director of the BzgA.

30 percent more consultations in Saxony
This is an important step, as drug advice centers have been warning for some time that the consumption of crystalline methamphetamine has increased significantly, at least in some parts of Germany. Particularly affected are the border regions to the Czech Republic, where more and more crystal finds confiscated by the customs and an increased use of drug counseling offers would indicate an increasing spread. As the BzgA further reports, the proportion of people who have used a consultation in Saxony due to Crystal, increased only from 2010 to 2011 by 30 percent. A similar development would also be apparent in Bavaria - whether this was a nationwide trend, but not yet apparent due to lack of meaningful data on consumption. (No)