SucheAddiction Prevention
Addiction prevention makes a key contribution to improving public health
Every year, at least 127,000 people in Germany die prematurely as a consequence of smoking, approximately 62,000 people die from alcohol-related causes, and approximately 2,000 deaths per year are the result of illicit drug abuse. Target-oriented drug prevention, based on scientific findings, can make a significant contribution to improving the health of the population, reducing the cost to society and enhancing the quality of life.
Key objectives of modern addiction prevention
In order to reduce the incidence of premature deaths, diseases and other problem situations (e.g. violence) in connection with harmful drug use, the priority goals of addiction prevention activities include:
- preventing and/or delaying the onset of legal and illegal drug use,
- early recognition and early intervention in cases of risky consumption patterns,
- reduction of abuse and addiction.
Addiction prevention that systematically addresses the relevant target groups in their settings is particularly effective as regards achieving a health-promoting change in knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. The work of the Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG) therefore gives priority to:
- addressing children and young people in the family, at school and in their leisure time,
- reaching adults in the domestic environment, through the workplace and in the leisure sector,
- attracting multipliers and cooperation partners for stable cooperation.
Key Tasks
The Federal Institute of Public Health promotes addiction prevention in the areas of legal and illegal drugs, as well as behavioral addictions, particularly in the following areas:
- early addiction prevention and the promotion of life skills,
- promoting non-smoking,
- reducing alcohol consumption,
- preventing cannabis use,
- preventing the use of illegal drugs,
- preventing gambling addiction and excessive media use.
Addiction Prevention on Social Media
The Federal Institute of Public Health is active on the following channels on addiction prevention topics:
www.facebook.com/alkoholkenndeinlimit
www.facebook.com/ins.netz.gehen/
www.instagram.com/rauchfrei_info/
www.instagram.com/nullalkoholvollpower/
www.instagram.com/alkohol_kenndeinlimit/
www.instagram.com/cannabispraevention
www.instagram.com/insnetzgehen/
www.youtube.com/alkoholkenndeinlimit
www.tiktok.com/@suchtpraevention
www.tiktok.com/@alkohol_kenndeinlimit
www.tiktok.com/@rauchfrei_crew
Websites on addiction prevention
The rauchfrei ("smoke-free") campaign is geared to preventing people from starting smoking, to protecting people from passive smoking, and to supporting smokers in quitting. The website at www.rauchfrei-info.de primarily targets adults and offers a wide range of information on the subject of "smoking/not smoking". In addition to the information offering, the website also includes a programme for giving up smoking that provides help with quitting smoking by means of individualised feedback by e-mail over a period of four weeks.
www.rauchfrei-info.de
Drugcom.de is a low-threshold Internet project that addresses young people with an affinity for drugs via the leisure sector. The aim is to promote communication with young people who have already had experience with drugs. Internet-based, anonymous information and counselling options are intended to help encourage young drug users to critically examine their own drug use and possibly modify it.
www.drugcom.de
The website www.cannabispraevention.de is aimed at young people and complements the BIÖG information servicewww.drugcom.de, which primarily targets young adults who consume cannabis. It is intended to encourage young people to critically examine the substance cannabis. In addition to information for young people, the site also offers a service for parents, teachers, and professionals. Schools are also supported with new teaching materials on the topic of cannabis, which can also be used digitally. The internet portal www.infos-cannabis.de provides information on the current legal situation, effects, and risks of cannabis use among adolescents and points to important support services for parents, those affected, and relatives.
www.cannabispraevention.de and www.infos-cannabis.de
check-dein-spiel.de offers affected persons, relatives and other interested parties information on the subject of gambling and addiction to gambling. In addition, there is a self-test people who gamble and wonder whether their playing habits are (still) OK. In the "Counselling" section, you can find information on which organisations offer counselling and support in connection with an addiction to gambling.
www.check-dein-spiel.de
Null Akohol Voll Power informs young people aged 12 to 16 about the risks of alcohol consumption and encourages them to live a lifestyle without alcohol. On the website www.null-alkohol-voll-power.de, young people can learn about the effects of alcohol consumption on their everyday lives and hobbies. The "Knowledge" and "Do" sections offer information, knowledge tests, and hands-on activities. The "Talk" section provides counseling and support services. In addition to the online offering, the brochure "Knowing What's Possible" compiles the most important addiction prevention content into a compact information package. It can be ordered free of charge along with other campaign materials.
www.null-alkohol-voll-power.de
The aim of the Alcohol? Know Your Limit campaign is to raise public awareness of the negative consequences of excessive alcohol consumption and to prevent the development of risky drinking behavior. The campaign is divided into two main areas and, with specific measures and offers, is aimed at young people aged 16 and over, and at adults. Young people are informed about the particular risks of excessive and risky alcohol consumption among young people and encouraged to think critically about their own consumption behavior. For adults, the website provides important information on the responsible use of alcohol. In addition to extensive information on alcohol-related health hazards and risks, there is an alcohol self-test available, for example, which can be used to assess one's own alcohol consumption. Specially prepared information is available for the target groups pregnant women and their partners, parents and older people, as well as professionals.
www.kenn-dein-limit.de
Alkoholfrei sport genießen addresses the responsible use of alcohol in sports clubs and the exemplary behavior of adult club members. The Federal Institute of Public Health has formed an action alliance with leading sports associations with large memberships and is calling on sports clubs to participate. Free materials and promotional materials are provided in a so-called action box, which can be used to successfully implement activities for an alcohol-free sporting event.
www.alkoholfrei-sport-geniessen.de
The Federal Institute of Public Health's nationwide campaign for the prevention of excessive media use Ins Netz gehen aims to strengthen media literacy and raise awareness of the risks of excessive media use among young people aged 12 to 18. To this end, it offers a variety of targeted measures, including two online portals with interactive information. The youth portal (www.ins-netz-gehen.de) includes general information on media literacy, digital media, and media addiction, as well as a self-test, useful tips, and a free digital counseling program. The multiplier portal (www.ins-netz-gehen.info) is aimed at parents and other adult caregivers and offers important information and concrete tips on media education in the digital age, as well as information on the opportunities and challenges of using digital media. The portal also offers individual email counseling and a counseling center database for multipliers.
www.ins-netz-gehen.de and www.ins-netz-gehen.info
Make children strong aims at adults who are responsible for children aged 4 to 12. In order to prevent later addictive behavior, prevention must begin early and comprehensively – long before young people even come into contact with addictive substances such as tobacco or alcohol. To achieve this, it is necessary to strengthen adolescents’ self-confidence and self-esteem and to promote their conflict resolution and communication skills. Children and young people who know their strengths and who are trusted and recognized grow up to be self-confident individuals – an important foundation for later being able to say “no” to addictive substances even in the face of peer pressure. Adults can strengthen and support children in this development to enable them to lead an addiction-free life. The Federal Institute of Public Health supports this with a comprehensive range of materials and activities. The participatory initiative is carried out in cooperation with, among others, the major recreational sports associations.
www.kinderstarkmachen.de
The Federal Institute of Public Health supports addiction prevention professionals, educators, and other interested parties in implementing appropriate measures to prevent methamphetamine/crystal meth use. We summarize existing information and list further counseling and intervention options.
Methamphetamine
The online documentation system Dot.sys provides a uniform record of addiction prevention activities in all German states. Dot.sys is a joint initiative of the German states and the Federal Institute of Public Health and was developed in collaboration with the German Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (DBDD).
www.dotsys-online.de
