Majority of Germans want stricter rules on teenage drinking

A recent survey published on Thursday showed that almost two thirds of Germans think 14 year olds should be barred from drinking alcohol. In Germany, 14-year-old teenagers are allowed to buy and drink a beer or glass of wine. if they’re with a legal guardian.

In the survey run by Forsa agency and commissioned by the German health insurance company Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH), individuals were asked questions on young people and alcohol. In total, 1000 people aged 18-70 from all over Germany were surveyed.

The survey found that just over half of Germans also want the legal age for purchasing beer and wine to rise from 16 to 18. In Germany, the sale of hard alcohol is currently only permitted from the age of 18.

Advertising alcohol is a topic that has come up in German politics before, and of those Germans surveyed, 35 percent would prefer a complete ban.

A further third of respondents wanted more restrictions.

Drinking in Germany, a risky habit?

Across Germany, bars, pubs and restaurants are considered important for socializing, often with the involvement of alcohol. Though overall alcohol consumption has fallen in recent years, there are reportedly 1.6 million people living in Germany who have an alcohol addiction.

In a survey by Germany's Centre for Health Education (BZgA) in 2024, excessive drinking among children aged 12-17 also slightly increased.

Doctors Associations in Germany have long been calling for health policies to reduce alcohol consumption in Germany.

Even in moderation, alcohol is not healthy, according to The German Nutrition Society (DGE). They recommend abstaining completely from alcoholic beverages, adding that alcohol increases the risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular diseases and liver conditions.

For teenagers whose bodies are still developing, the risks can be greater.

"The earlier young people drink alcohol, the greater the health risks," KKH psychologist Franziska Klemm explained.

What are politicians saying?

The health ministers of Germany's federal states have been pushing for a ban on the supervised drinking rule.

Katharina Schenk, the health minister for the east German state of Thuringia said recently at a meeting "Alcohol, as a widely consumed drug, poses a significant problem for children and teenagers"

The German Federal Health Minister Nina Warken has voiced support for this initiative.