Drug abuse hospitalisations dropped again in Germany in 2022

Drug abuse hospitalisations dropped again in Germany in 2022

Drug

Frankfurt, June 25, 2024 (dpa/NAN) The number of people that were hospitalised in Germany due to illegal drug use dropped once again in 2022, according to new government figures released on Tuesday.

The Figures had been declining in Germany since peaking in 2016.

Germany’s Federal Statistical Office said that around 17,200 cases were counted in the country in 2022 for treatment over use of heroin, cocaine, LSD or other illegal drugs.

That’s a drop of 17 per cent compared to 2016, when there were almost 20,800 hospitalisations.

Although the numbers has been falling steadily since then, the number of hospitalisations remains much higher than several decades ago.

In 2002, just 9,500 people were treated in hospital for drug abuse, 81per cent lower than in 2022.

Two thirds of patients (66 per cent) in 2022 were male, around a third (34 per cent) were female.

According to the data, more than half of those treated (55 per cent) were between 18 and 39 years old, while 8 per cent were not yet adults.

Hospital treatments as a result of cannabis, tobacco or alcohol consumption were not included in the statistics.

Tobacco and alcohol have long been legal in Germany, while cannabis was made legal in the country earlier this year. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Cecilia Odey /Halima Sheji