Briefing
The Health Committee the German Bundestag’s Health Committee discussed proposals on health protection and addiction prevention at a public hearing on 4 November. The focus was on motions from parliamentary groups, including one from the AfD and two from the parliamentary group Bündnis 90/Die Grünen. One focus of the discussions was alcohol prevention aimed at protecting children and young people more effectively. The meeting was open to the public, and experts from academia, public administration and prevention services submitted statements and answered questions from MPs.
The experts invited to give evidence were broadly in agreement that Germany has structural shortcomings in addiction prevention. They pointed in particular to inadequate and often short-term funding for local authorities, patchy coordination between youth services and health promotion, and inconsistent quality and evaluation standards. Representatives of the Federal Centre for Health Education argued for binding nationwide standards, more targeted services and ongoing monitoring of effectiveness. Several experts stressed that prevention measures must be evidence-based and systematically evaluated to ensure resources are used effectively.
Different political priorities emerged. Alliance 90/The Greens pressed for expanded alcohol prevention, with clear safeguards for minors. The AfD addressed other health-related aspects and linked them to criticism of existing prevention approaches. The committee circulated the written submissions it had received to its members for further consideration. No immediate proposal for a decision was announced. Further steps could be taken through the parliamentary process via motions, possible draft legislation or budgetary decisions.
The hearing made clear that funding gaps, the division of responsibilities between federal and state authorities, and the need for reliable evidence are the main points of contention. While professional associations are calling for consistent quality criteria and reliable funding, critics argue that existing programmes need to be assessed more rigorously on the basis of evidence. What happens next will depend on discussions in the Health Committee and decisions by the parliamentary groups. One thing is clear: addiction prevention is a continuing task that can only be organised sustainably through cooperation between the federal government, the Länder and local authorities.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).