As of: April 12, 2024 4:27 p.m
Health Minister Stefanie Drese presented a new initiative on Friday. This is about expanding tests in which users can have their drugs tested for contaminants.
Together with the Federal Commissioner for Addiction Burkhard Blienert, Health Minister Stefanie Drese (SPD) is presenting a new initiative in which Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania should take on a pioneering role nationwide. It’s about expanding tests that allow drug users to examine what kind of drugs they actually bought and whether they are contaminated or not.
Drug testing project: After rapid tests, now laboratory tests
So far only rapid tests are known in MV. The subsTANZ project has been running in Rostock since last year. Two street workers in clubs and at concerts check substances that they have voluntarily and anonymously received from consumers. Health Minister Drese now apparently wants to go one step further: In the future, consumers will be able to hand in drugs such as ecstasy or cocaine in a project shop, also in Rostock, in order to have it tested in detail in a laboratory. The results are then available after three days.
Similar projects in Berlin and Thuringia have shown that 30 percent of the amphetamines tested in the laboratory were heavily contaminated. In Hesse, it was also found that 70 percent of buyers who had their drugs checked subsequently had no need to continue using them. This result is being noticed with a lot of attention in MV, which is why the new project is expected to start in May. It is not yet known whether this will be expanded to other cities after Rostock.
Raise more awareness about drug abuse
According to a study by the Barmer substitute fund, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is considered to be the federal state with the second highest proportion of drug addicts in relation to the total population. With such offers to have drugs tested, the initiators hope to create more awareness of drug abuse among users.
MV also for a ban on accompanied drinking
Alcohol is one of the dangerous drugs, especially for young people. Nationwide, the number of children and young people aged 10 to 20 who had to be treated in hospital due to intoxication rose by 21 percent between 2000 and 2022. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania the increase is 75.5 percent, and for girls and young women it is even 145 percent. That’s why on Friday Drese also announced a move by the Mecklenburg Convention to tighten the Youth Protection Act in the Conference of Health Ministers. According to Drese, it is wrong that young people aged 14 and over are allowed to drink wine and beer in public when their parents are there.
Further information
Caritas has been running the drug contact shop in Rostock for 25 years. more
However, the necessary money is still missing for the project. However, 10,000 flyers have already been printed. more
3 Min
According to studies, prevention saves a lot of money. This is necessary because many 12 to 18 year olds have experience with the drug. 3 mins
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania there is fundamental approval for the legalization of cannabis – including from Interior Minister Pegel. more
The Barmer health insurance company assumes that 38,200 people received medical treatment for alcohol addiction in MV in 2022. more
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NDR 1 Radio MV | News from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | April 12, 2024 | 4:00 p.m