In the fight against smoking, the new Federal Drug Commissioner Daniela Ludwig wants to leave no advertising loopholes for e-cigarettes. The CSU politician demands a comprehensive advertising ban, which has been negotiated by the grand coalition for months - especially to protect young people, where new products for vaping are on the rise.
With a view to possible new strategies in dealing with cannabis, Ludwig wants an open dialogue. Above all, smoking and excessive drinking of alcohol are still causing massive damage to health, as revealed by the new drug and addiction report presented by Ludwig - even if the overall consumption is declining.
The most important findings of the current report at a glance:
Rising number of e-cigarette smokers
Good developments can be seen in tobacco, says Ludwig, who has been a drug commissioner since September. "Smoking is really getting out." For example, the proportion of fuming young people has declined by two-thirds in the past 10 to 15 years. For them, the consumption of e-cigarettes in them clearly. "This trend must be stopped," said Ludwig. No long-term studies on health effects were missing.
It therefore calls for a comprehensive advertising ban for e-cigarettes. A ban on advertising only for conventional cigarettes and heaters would be only a "half step", because at venues such as bus stops and the Internet, there would be in future only advertising for e-cigarettes. "I do not want that," says Ludwig.
There has been movement in the long stalled debate on the ban on advertising since the Union abandoned its general resistance. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has spoken out in favor of a ban and has promised "an attitude" by the end of the year. In the previous term a start had failed. Now, it's about expanding restrictions on out-of-home advertising and cinemas. It is open whether only classic tobacco products may not be advertised, or whether the ban - as the SPD wants to enforce it - should also apply to e-cigarettes.
Cannabis: "It will not be that easy"
Ludwig wants to put an end to "ideological debates" and instead talk to representatives of all different positions. Some are for the full rigor of the law, others for legalization. "But it will not be that easy," says Ludwig. Therefore, she strives for an open dialogue. That makes sense only if one is not determined from the outset on a result. It is also about getting young people better with prevention and education. According to the drug report, 19 percent of adolescents and 42.5 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds have ever consumed cannabis.
Alcohol: Better help for children of addicted parents needed
Even with excessive drinking alcohol there is a positive trend down, says Ludwig. However, Germany still consumes a lot of alcohol in international comparison. Men drink more alcohol than women. Overall, about 18 percent of men and 12 percent of women have a risky consumption. And it is estimated that about 10,000 babies are born with alcohol-related sequelae each year, of which 2000 the complications are severe.
In particular, Ludwig wants better help for children who grow up with alcohol-dependent parents. Proposals for this would be presented by a working group of several ministries shortly.
Illegal drugs: self-regulation for heroin is "sheer nonsense"
For illegal substances such as heroin and cocaine there is an almost stable development, says Ludwig. The number of drug-related deaths rose slightly last year to 1276 people. This was four more deaths than in 2017. The main cause is still poisoning by opioids.
The commissioner turned against votes, even for heroin or cocaine to create a self-regulation - so that threatens with small amounts no prosecution. "That's sheer nonsense." An important building block is treatments with substitutes. However, these should not be confined to agglomerations, but would actually have to be available nationwide.
