Alcohol Awareness Week "Alcohol? Less is better!"
The ninth Alcohol Awareness Week in Germany was held from 8th to 16th June 2024. It has been carried out almost every two years since 2007. The campaign wants to encourage everybody who drinks alcohol – which is about 90 percent of the German adult population – to reflect on their drinking habits and to raise awareness for the risks associated with alcohol consumption. Referring to the WHO, the central message is: “Alcohol? Less is better!”. Institutions, professionals and dedicated individuals organize events on a local level. Thousands of professional employees of the addiction aid, volunteers of the self-help or occupational health experts give new ideas for discussions and information in order to raise awareness in several different settings, like pedestrian zones, hospitals, workplaces, doctor´s offices, pharmacies and churches - only to name a few. It is the aim to raise awareness in personal contact with the population.
The „Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen e.V. – DHS“ (German Centre for Addiction Issues, an umbrella organization and a common platform for all German charitable associations in the field of addiction counseling, treatment and self-help) support the local organizers by providing the website, several free brochures, posters and other materials for their events (www.aktionswoche-alkohol.de). Professionals and volunteers are free in shaping their own events. In 2024, about 1.000 activities all over Germany were organized.
On the website we present examples which kinds of events can be organized, and give information about alcohol.
Facts & Figures
The Alcohol Awareness Week is…
…an alcohol prevention campaign in Germany that takes place almost every two years.
The special thing about the alcohol awareness week is…
…the personal contact in everyday life and at the workplace. For nine days, thousands of dedicated people organize many events to reach people at different places. In 2019, over 1.400 events took place.
Aim is…
…to raise the awareness among the general population for the risks of alcohol consumption according to the WHO-slogan “Alcohol? Less is better!”. For the upcoming Awarness Week we have chosen a new main focus: Addiction self-help.
The policy:
• The events are planned, advertised and undertaken on local level by the organizers.
• The DHS and the BKD provide materials for events free of charge.
• Only condition for organizers of events is to register on www.aktionswoche-alkohol.de
• They can choose between various series of events:
• “Self-help and addiction aid – We go out!“
• “Alcohol prevention at the workplace”
• “Alcohol prevention on community level”
• “Churches participate actively”
• “Doctor´s office, hospitals and pharmacies”
• “Alcohol prevention in (sports) clubs”
• “Alcohol prevention at Universities for students and staff”
• “Other events”
• “No alcohol in traffic”
The supporters:
• Member organizations of the DHS
• DAK-Gesundheit (Comprehensive Health Insurance in Germany)
• German statutory pensions insurance scheme (DRV-Bund)
• Patronage of the Drug Commissioner of the Federal Government
International Partners:
• Since 2011: Switzerland and Liechtenstein
• For the first time in 2017 : Austria and Luxembourg
Materials:
• Z-Cards, an information sheet, foldable to the size of a credit card. Content is a self-test.
• Various brochures, flyer and factsheets
• Poster (to announce the events)
• Give-aways (sticky notes, placemats, buttons)
If you have further questions according to the German Alcohol Awareness Week don´t hesitate to contact info[a]dhs.de.