Until recently, twelve grams of pure alcohol per day were the limit values for women and 24 grams for men. The numbers from our yearbook also refer to this. In the meantime, however, these limit values no longer apply: the scientific board of trustees of the DHS has taken a closer look at these values and the recommendation made that any waiver of alcohol is the optimum for health. This means that there is no longer an unproblematic amount of alcohol that can be drinked correctly. The new scientific findings simply show that there is no risk -free consumption of alcohol. And the health -promoting effects that are repeatedly propagated are very questionable. Unfortunately we have to pull the tooth. Less is always better. A beer is better than two. Then you do something good for your health. You sleep better, you improve your cardiovascular system, you reduce your cancer risk. How can you find out whether you have a risky alcohol consumption yourself or relatives? You can definitely reflect on yourself. What do I consume when? On what opportunity does my consumption have a certain function? Do I have any problems drinking alcohol? Do I have withdrawal symptoms? Or do I have to drink more to get the same effect? These are a lot of small signs of an alcohol problem that can be used to determine whether you should minimize and use your alcohol consumption. In which age groups is the risky drinking behavior the most common? In this context we can take a look at the hospital statistics. Which people were taken to the hospital with alcohol poisoning? There is always a lot of look at the under 18 year olds. Ten or twelve years ago there were regular record numbers, now this value has decreased and has halved about 9350 cases a year. That is very gratifying. What is often forgotten are the many adults who are hospitalized every year with alcohol poisoning. In the middle adult between 30 and 60 years, this was just over 34,000 people in 2023. These are those who present the drinking and the norms we have, which are less drunk in total. Is that particularly thanks to the young population? Young people drink less than ten years ago. We have hope that a change will happen. There are sober movements and young people who don’t even start drinking. The entry age is also higher. But despite the decline, we are still at a high level of alcohol consumption at 10.6 liters per capita and year. Alcohol consumption drops, but not fast enough – especially compared to neighboring European countries. As it looks, it will take a long time in Germany to be at a level with Sweden, where 7.5 liters of alcohol are drunk per capita every year so that alcohol consumption also decreases faster in Germany? If life were a dream concert, we would like the area of proportional prevention to be strengthened. This is hardly or not at all in the area of alcohol. By this we understand: higher taxes, higher prices, less availability. Advertising for the health -threatening product of alcohol is still very present in our society. There are restrictions, as it was announced in the last coalition agreement. With our upcoming federal government, this is no longer an issue. Research shows that all of these measures work. Without a stronger regulation from above, it will not work. What value should the consumption tax be raised in order to have an effect with the consumer? Five percent more would have an effect. Let us assume that a bottle of beer then costs one euro and five cents instead of one euro. Alcohol consumption could be reduced by 2.2 percent per capita. In addition, 1.4 billion euros in tax revenue could be generated. That is of course fictional. But it shows what effect such a price increase alone would have. What can Germany learn from a country like Sweden? The measures that are carried out in Sweden are very strict, consistent and effective. I think of the licensed specialty shops. I remember that alcohol is not as inexpensive there as with us and that alcohol is not at hand at every supermarket fund. Alcohol is not a normal product there. We can definitely learn a lot of that.
Alcohol consumption in Germany drops too slowly
