Overview

• The Gesundheitsministerkonferenz voted to propose amending the Jugendschutzgesetz to prohibit supervised consumption of beer, wine and sparkling wine by 14- to 17-year-olds.
• Under the current 1952 statute, minors aged 14 and above may drink these beverages in public when accompanied by a legal guardian.
• Federal Health Minister Nina Warken has publicly backed the Länder’s initiative to tighten youth alcohol regulations.
• Health experts warn that early alcohol exposure can impair adolescent brain development and heighten long-term addiction risks.
• Recent figures indicate that 6.9 percent of girls and 12.4 percent of boys aged 12 to 17 consume alcohol at least once a week.