Lippstadt students win special prize for touching video

Lippstadt students win special prize for touching video

The creative minds from Lippstadt have demonstrated their talent and proven to be true ambassadors against alcohol abuse. Greta, Leonie Steuerwald and Neele Radin produced a touching video in which they told the story of Joschi Meyer, a recovering alcoholic. This emotionally charged video, shown at their school, moved both Joschi and his wife to tears. For their remarkable work, the students were awarded the “Special Social Media Prize” and were awarded 300 euros. DAK-Gesundheit reports this in its article about the “colorful instead of blue” competition – art against binge drinking, which is celebrating its sixteenth edition in 2025.

Andreas Baur, head of DAK-Gesundheit in Soest, praised the sensitivity and artistic power of the video. “Colorful instead of blue”, an initiative that has been working with over 143,000 students since 2010, has set itself the task of raising awareness of the dangers of alcohol abuse. According to the federal government's drug and addiction report, the campaign is exemplary and has been certified by the European Commission. The latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office are particularly encouraging, showing a decline in young binge drinkers: In 2023, only 9,263 young people were treated in clinics for intoxication - a decline of 19% compared to the previous year.

An important campaign

The “colorful instead of blue” campaign has established itself as a significant player in the fight against alcohol abuse and is supported by the federal government and DAK-Gesundheit. The campaign also aims to educate young people about the risks of binge drinking. In 2022, around 11,500 minors were hospitalized in Germany due to acute alcohol abuse, showing a slow but positive trend: a decrease of 1% compared to the previous year and 43% since 2019. It is the lowest level since 2001.

With the call to design creative posters, the campaign persuaded well over 130,000 children and young people to take part. Schools in Germany, around 11,000 in total, are invited to participate and receive extensive teaching materials. A reward of around 12,000 euros will also be offered for the best ideas. Particularly noteworthy are the special prizes in the “Young Talents” categories and for the best Instagram pictures submitted under certain hashtags.

Prevention is key

So why is prevention so important? People turn to addictive substances for different reasons, and the causes can be complex. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the effects of drugs vary greatly depending on the type, method of use and the physical condition of the user. The issue of drug abuse therefore requires a holistic approach. Prevention must take into account various causes and can take different forms - from primary prevention, which aims to avoid harmful consumption, to secondary and tertiary prevention.

Initiatives such as “colorful instead of blue” not only address the acute problem of alcohol abuse, but also promote life skills in early childhood. In recent years, the view of legal drugs, which also need to be included in prevention, has expanded. Active work is being done to combat the drug problem at national, regional and local levels, including through the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) and the German Central Office for Addiction Issues (DHS).

Overall, it is clear that the ongoing efforts to educate and raise awareness are having an impact and the path to a drug-free future will hopefully lead to healthy youth who can deal with the challenges of life without addictive substances. DAK-Gesundheit and the Federal Government for Addiction and Drug Issues continue to do everything they can to support young people on this path.