1. German Drug and Addiction Policy
Panel: Charting Drug Policy around the World
Speaker: Mechthild Dyckmans, Federal Drug Commissioner, Germany
12 November 2013

2. German Drug and Addiction Policy
Overview
German Drug and Addiction Policy
– The National Strategy
– understanding the German system
The success of our policy
– some data on consumption, treatment and drug related death

3. German Drug and Addiction Policy
Licit substances
(tobacco, alcohol, prescription drugs)
Illicit drugs
(cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, heroine,
amphetamine and others)
Non-substance related addictions
(computer and internet, gambling)

4. German Drug and Addiction Policy
“The human being at the center stage”
Four pillars:
Prevention
Counseling, Treatment and Rehabilitation
Harm Reduction Measures
Repression and Supply Reduction
Basis: National Strategy on Drug and Addiction Policy (2012)

5. Harm reduction Opioid substitution treatment Needle exchange
At least one syringe distribution offer is made (including dispensing machines) in 114 out of a total of 429 rural and urban districts (26.6%)
Drug consumption rooms
in seven Laender and in bigger cities only
Low-threshold services providing/offering:
social counseling
HIV- and Hepatitis-testing
knowledge on infection risks, safer use and safer sex

6. Supply reduction Decriminalization of consumers - § 31a Drug Act
the prosecutor can close proceedings if a consumer is charged with possession of a small amount
Treatment instead of prison - § 35 Drug Act
a person will be sent to treatment if a criminal offence was committed due to drug addiction

7. Federal Organisation
Governmental Levels of the Drug and Addiction Policy
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Legislation, External Representation
Narcotic Drugs Act, national models and programms; prevention campaigns; international cooperation
FEDERAL LAENDER and COMMUNITIES
Execution, Administration
addict support system; public health care

8. Principle of Subsidiarity
Non-Governmental Stakeholders
Communities
Churches and Charitable Associations
Other Non-Governmental Organisations
Principle of Subsidiarity
The Government (Federation, Laender) will only act, if non-governmental organisations are not active.

9. German Drug and Addiction Policy
Social Security System
German Drug and Addiction Policy
covered by state budget (federal, Laender or municipalities),
health insurance or pension fund
Social Security in Germany – Social Book Code II
III V VI
VIII IX
XII
Social Integration into Labour
Prevention
Treatment
Opioid substitu-tion
Self-Help
Rehabilita-tion
Aftercare
Youth Welfare Service
Regula-tion of Interface Manage-ment
Social Integration

10. German Drug and Addiction Policy
2. Are we successful in what we are doing?

11. Prevelance of drug use in the general population

12. Opiate consumption
Estimated number of opiate users (injectors and non-injectors)
Patients in OST: (of those 500 in heroine substitution)

13. Changes in admission to outpatient therapy by main diagnosis
every 2nd person seeking
treatment for the first time shows up
because of cannabis

14. Drug related deaths

15. HIV Prevalence/Incidence
3.400 newly diagnosed HIV infections in 2012
IDU accounted for 3% of new infections
Number of new HIV diagnoses in IDUs dropped with 89 reported cases in 2012 to the lowest level since the start of differentiated data collection in 1993
HIV incidence (by mode of infection):

16. Hepatitis C Incidence
32.6% of all newly HCV positive persons reported IDU as possible
exposition
- new HCV cases with indication of IDU:

17. Thank you for your attention!