Sources and method – Addiction

Where the information on the addiction pages comes from, how it was compiled and where there are explicit uncertainties.

Why these pages are structured this way

In Germany, addiction is not a single area of law but is spread across many Social Code books (SGB II, V, VI, VIII, IX), narcotics law (BtMG/BtMVV), the Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV) and civil and employment law rules (BGB, StGB, FeV, StVG). These pages bring together the questions most important to people affected and their relatives in one place, with a reference to the relevant legal basis and, where available, to official or professionally recognised figures. They do not replace legal advice for legal assessments in individual cases.

Sources

1. Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen (DHS, German Centre for Addiction Issues), dhs.de – addiction help directory, care system, funding reports
2. Bundesinstitut für Öffentliche Gesundheit (BIÖG, formerly BZgA), bioeg.de – information hotlines, prevention services (renamed by BMG decree as of 13 February 2025)
3. Epidemiologischer Suchtsurvey (ESA) 2024, BMG/IFT München, esa-survey.de
4. Glücksspielsurvey 2023, Interdisziplinäre Suchtforschungsgruppe Hamburg (ISD)/University of Bremen
5. gesetze-im-internet.de – BtMG, BtMVV, SGB II, SGB V, SGB VI, SGB VIII, SGB IX, FeV, StVG, StGB, BGB, InsO, SGG (full texts)
6. Bundesgesetzblatt (recht.bund.de) – including BGBl. 2026 I Nr. 107 (13th SGB II Amendment Act, Grundsicherungsgeld)
7. Guideline of the Bundesärztekammer (German Medical Association) on substitution-assisted treatment of opioid dependence, as of 16 July 2026
8. Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM), report on the substitution register, January 2025
9. Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV), deutsche-rentenversicherung.de – form package rehabilitation for people with addiction, framework concept Adaption
10. Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt) – assessment guidelines on fitness to drive
11. Bundesarbeitsgericht (BAG, Federal Labour Court) – including judgments of 20 March 2014 (2 AZR 565/12) and 20 December 2012 (2 AZR 32/11)
12. Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (DGUV) – addiction prevention in the workplace
13. Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt – OASIS player exclusion system
14. Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), gluecksspiel-behoerde.de
15. Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), judgment of 16 April 2026, Case C-440/23; Bundesgerichtshof (BGH, Federal Court of Justice), lead-case procedure I ZR 216/25
16. Bundessozialgericht (BSG, Federal Social Court), judgment of 21 July 2021 – B 14 AS 18/20 R
17. NACOA Deutschland, nacoa.de; Projekt Trampolin, projekt-trampolin.de
18. Al-Anon Familiengruppen Deutschland, al-anon.de; Kreuzbund e.V., kreuzbund.de; Anonyme Alkoholiker Deutschland, anonyme-alkoholiker.de; Narcotics Anonymous Deutschland, narcotics-anonymous.de
19. Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues, bundesdrogenbeauftragter.de
20. Telefonseelsorge Deutschland, telefonseelsorge.de

Where information is explicitly marked as uncertain

In keeping with the aim of these pages not to invent any information, the following points are explicitly marked on the respective topic pages as uncertain, as a guideline or as not conclusively verified:

• The exact nationwide number of addiction counselling centres (around 1,300–1,400) as well as the exact distribution by provider and up-to-date waiting times are not recorded officially in a central, uniform way (pages "Overview", "Finding addiction counselling").
• Participation and group numbers of self-help associations (e.g. AA, Al-Anon, the five abstinence associations) come from the associations themselves, not from an independent official statistic (pages "Self-help groups", "Family and relatives").
• The commonly cited duration of a qualified withdrawal (around three weeks) and rehabilitation/treatment durations (roughly 12–26 weeks depending on the substance) are professional guideline values from individual associations/clinics, not legally fixed deadlines (pages "Withdrawal and detoxification", "Rehabilitation/addiction treatment").
• The exact official designation and Bundesgesetzblatt citation of the BtMVV amendment on diamorphine treatment of 5 December 2024 could not be conclusively verified; likewise, there are no newer substitution register figures than the reference date of 1 July 2024 (page "Substitution treatment").
• The amount of transitional allowance (Übergangsgeld) during rehabilitation was not verified against a fully usable primary source (page "Rehabilitation/addiction treatment").
• Whether the aftercare programme "Curriculum Hannover" is used nationwide in exactly this form as addiction aftercare by the pension insurance could not be conclusively verified (page "Relapse and aftercare").
• The exact content of § 38 BtMG (special rule for juveniles/young adults) and the application of the principles of § 35 BtMG to pre-trial detention were not conclusively checked against the full text of a primary source (page "Treatment instead of punishment").
• Specific monthly figures for proof of abstinence in the MPU (medical-psychological assessment) and MPU costs are practical or market values of the assessment bodies, not legally fixed figures (page "Driving licence and addiction").
• The exact current scale of sanction percentages under §§ 31, 31a SGB II since the reform of 1 July 2026, and a possible addiction-specific special rule under § 44a SGB II, could not be conclusively verified against the statutory text or the Fachliche Weisung (technical instruction) of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (page "Cooperation plan for addiction").
• The exact legal effect of refusing BEM (workplace integration management) on a later unfair dismissal claim, specifically in cases of addiction, is not uniformly settled in the commentary (page "Work and addiction").
• A reliable official statistic on the share of addiction-related over-indebtedness and a nationally uniform category "specialised debt counselling for people with addiction" could not be found (page "Debt caused by addiction").
• The NACOA estimate of around 3 million children of parents affected by addiction is based on a calculation by the organisation, not on an independently verified official survey (page "Family and relatives").
• The outcome of the BGH lead-case procedure I ZR 216/25 on the recovery of online casino losses was still pending at the editorial deadline (16 September 2026, hearing not until 17 September 2026); figures newer than the Glücksspielsurvey 2023 were also not checked (page "Gambling addiction").

What this platform does – and what it does not

What it does:

• These pages summarise the legal situation and the most important contact points on addiction in Germany, as of September 2026, and link to the underlying primary sources.
• Each topic page separates a simple explanation ("In brief") from an in-depth version with legal bases and figures for advice services and professionals.
• Where information could not be reliably verified against a primary source, this is explicitly marked "Uncertain" on the respective topic page and also collected here.

What it does not do:

• These pages do not replace legal advice, medical advice or addiction counselling in an individual case.
• They cannot show the up-to-date local availability of counselling, withdrawal or rehabilitation places.
• They cannot anticipate ongoing court proceedings (e.g. BGH I ZR 216/25) – check the current status with an advice centre, a lawyer or the responsible authority.
• Deadlines, amounts, percentages and responsibilities change often; do not rely on these pages alone for important decisions.