Germany: Increasing Costs of Risky Alcohol Consumption Among Young People

By Walter Farke (DHS)

Last year, 1822 alcohol intoxicated people under the age of 20 were admitted in hospitals in Germany. 962 cases of intoxicated young people under 20 were registered in 2003 in comparison to 2007. The number of cases has doubled over the last five years.

One and half days' hospital stay for the treatment of alcohol intoxicated young people was estimated by the German health insurance company Techniker Krankenkasse (TKK), to cost, on average, €540 per person per stay.

The total costs for the treatment of intoxicated young people under 20 were €. 908,000.00

The reasons for the increase of alcohol intoxication rates among this age group are the increasing frequency of binge drinking and other drinking patterns of excessive alcohol consumption. Apart from the long-term health risks of these drinking habits for young people, the enormous rise of costs for the treatment of the alcohol intoxication alarmed the health insurance companies as well as public health experts.

It is necessary to enforce existing laws to protect young people against the short and long-term harms done by alcohol. This also means restrictions on alcohol sales and alcohol advertising as well as sponsoring. Higher prizes on all alcoholic beverages are also an effective measure to curb increasing alcohol consumption rates among young people.