Harm reduction and substance use treatments in Germany: a conversation with Benjamin Löhner

Alcohol use is widespread in Germany, with its long cultural history of beer gardens, Oktoberfests, local celebrations and a strong beer brewing economic sector. In addition to alcohol use, alcohol use disorders and other substance use disorders are on the rise among people of all ages, but especially among youth. While a wide variety of substances are used in Germany, alcohol remains the primary drug of choice. It is estimated that over two million adults over the age of 18 meet the DSM IV criteria for ‘alcohol dependence,’ and of this group approximately 10% are under the age of 18 (Mann et al., 2017). Another two million drink in problematic ways, and over 74,000 die from alcohol related causes every year. However, while there are many people who use both illegal substances and legal substances in problematic ways, Germany has not experienced the same growth in opioid use as other countries or as in the United States (Kraus et al., 2019). While German based pharmaceutical companies have been trailblazers in developing morphine, heroin, methadone, and oxycontin (https://www.narconon.org/druginformation/germany-drug-addiction-treatment.html), the country has been able to avoid the epidemic of misuse of these substances in the general population. Germany has also been a leader in harm reduction methods in Europe, and a strong health care system has focused on providing substance use treatment and prevention services. Other broader based public health research has focused on public health solutions to problem substance use for both adults and youth. In this issue, we speak with Benjamin Löhner, a practitioner and researcher in substance use in Germany. His focus is on both prevention and treatment with youth experiencing substance misuse. Löhner, a social worker, has worked at a counseling center for young drug users and presently conducts trainings and workshops for social workers, teachers, and medical doctors. He is a Lecturer and doctoral candidate at the Evangelische Hochschule and Technische Hochschule in Nuremberg, Germany. His current research investigates the use and the benefits of game elements in counseling young drug users – a principle called gamification.