Accompanied drinking should be forbidden
In Germany, 14- to 16-year-olds are allowed to drink alcohol accompanied by their parents. Health Ministers Lauterbach and some of their colleagues want to change this. They demand a ban on so-called accompanied drinking. However, there is also criticism of this proposal.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and the health ministers of several federal states advocate for a ban on the so-called accompanied drinking of 14- to 16-year-olds. "From a health policy perspective, there can be no two opinions on this issue," Lauterbach told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. "The presence of adults does not change the harmfulness of alcohol for children. Therefore, accompanied drinking should be prohibited."
Adolescents in Germany can buy and drink beer, wine, and champagne regularly from the age of 16 according to the Youth Protection Law. In the company of a responsible person, this is even allowed from the age of 14 - also in restaurants or in public.
Several Health Ministers for Rule Change
Lauterbach is not alone in his criticism of this regulation: The Bavarian Health Minister Judith Gerlach and the Berlin Health Senator Ina Czyborra also advocate for the abolition of accompanied drinking. The permission makes no sense in terms of prevention goals, said CSU Minister Gerlach to RND. SPD Senator Czyborra said that alcohol consumption endangered the physical and mental development of adolescents to a significant extent.
Lower Saxony's Health Minister Andreas Philippi recently called the handling "a completely false social signal." "Accompanied drinking trivializes alcohol consumption and should be abolished," he told the "Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung." The earlier the onset of drinking, the more problematic the behavior as an adult.
Experts to examine possible law changes
The Health Ministers' Conference of the States dealt with the topic in June and decided that experts should examine the rules in the Youth Protection Law more closely. The DAK welcomes the debate: "Accompanied drinking is up for debate," said DAK boss Andreas Storm: "Through the access of alcohol by parents, the threshold for starting to drink is lowered."
There are still thousands of children and adolescents in hospitals every year due to alcohol consumption. The DAK referred to its own surveys, according to which around 6000 adolescents between 15 and 17 years old had to be treated in clinics throughout Germany in 2023 due to alcohol misuse.
According to the Federal Drug Commissioner, Burkhard Blienert, every German statistically consumes ten liters of pure alcohol per year. In European comparison, the Federal Republic is therefore a high-consumption country. Eight million people drink in a risky manner and 1.6 to 1.8 million people are alcohol-dependent in the stricter sense.
CDU health politician sees proposal to ban accompanied drinking skeptically
The idea of banning accompanied drinking for teenagers is also met with skepticism. Every step to prevent adolescents from consuming alcohol is good for their health, Union health expert Tino Sorge.
However, new rules must be measured against real-life circumstances: "The family plays a central role when it comes to responsible handling of alcohol. Whether a categorical ban can establish itself in the private sphere must be discussed pragmatically." No teenager who tries a sip of beer from their father for the first time will become an alcoholic.
CDU politician expressed concern, more important are educational offers in schools and associations, and paying close attention to the social environment of the youth. Most alcohol excesses occur where parents are not present.
The Federal Ministry of Health, led by Minister Karl Lauterbach, supports a proposed ban on accompanied drinking for 14- to 16-year-olds, advocating for stricter youth protection measures due to the potential harmful effects of alcohol on adolescents' health. Internationally, many countries have implemented similar policies to protect youth from the negative impacts of alcohol consumption.
Criticizing the current regulation, politicians from various federal states, such as Judith Gerlach from Bavaria and Ina Czyborra from Berlin, join Lauterbach in calling for an abolition of accompanied drinking. They argue that it sends wrong signals about alcohol consumption and can endanger the development of young people.
Addressing the issue, the Health Ministers' Conference agreed to involve experts in examining potential changes to the Youth Protection Law, with some, like the DAK, supporting the debate on the role of parents in influencing underage drinking behavior.
