“The eighth Alcohol Awareness Week in Germany is held from 14th to 22th May 2022. 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) and the „Blaue Kreuz Deutschland e.V. – BKD“ (Blue Cross Germany, self-help association and national member of the International Blue Cross (IBC) 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 2019, about 1.400 activities all over Germany were organized.”

Find more from Aktionswoche (Germany, May 2022)