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Hanover is fighting against drugs: New model project for addicts started!
In 2025, Hanover will start a model project to support opioid addicts and educate people about drug dangers.
Hanover is fighting against drugs: New model project for addicts started!
A ray of hope in the fight against drug addiction is currently being celebrated in Hanover: the city is in third place among the German cities that take part in the “so-par” model project. The goal of this project is to support people suffering from opioid addiction, especially when dealing with synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. These substances have proven to be an enormous challenge, accounting for an estimated 75 percent of drug emergencies in Europe, according to the Pharmazeutische Zeitung. Fentanyl is one of the synthetic opioids that is much more potent than conventional heroin. The city has therefore launched an extensive program to educate people about the dangers of these drugs and to provide remedies.
An impressive example of the fight against addiction is the story of Guido Missberger. The 56-year-old radically changed his life four years ago. After 40 years of drug use, which began with inhaling vapors and progressed to various substances such as cannabis and heroin, he found his way into therapy. This decision was fateful, as Missberger had already fainted several times and had experienced the loss of many friends due to overdoses. After a life-threatening condition due to pneumonia in which he awoke from a coma weighing only 60 kilograms, he began his road to recovery. He has been clean for four and a half years now and is actively involved in telling others his story and informing them about the dangers of drug use.
Education and safety when dealing with drugs
Education is essential in combating the drug problem. Mayor Belit Onay emphasizes the importance of checking substances before they are consumed. The model project also includes offers of self-tests for drug users, who can thus minimize their risks. A clear process for emergency situations should also be established in order to be able to react quickly in an emergency. These measures are not only important locally, but are in line with the findings of the European Drugs Report 2024 published by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction. The report highlights that potent synthetic substances and consumer behavior continue to undergo profound change in Europe.
One trend that is emerging is the increase in the addition of synthetic opioids to heroin, particularly in urban areas such as Hanover. The health risks resulting from this development are alarming. In addition to drugs such as cocaine and cannabis, which remain widespread, the risk of incorrectly declared products has increased. These can have fatal consequences for consumers, as many of those affected, including Missberger, had to learn the hard way.
A new life with hope
Missberger managed to break out of addiction and create a new life. He plans to get his driver's license and offer city tours to talk about his experiences. His goal: To educate people that there is a way out of addiction and that help is possible. In Lower Saxony, the authorities have recognized the need to step up this fight - 153 deaths from drugs last year have shown that there is a need for action. Additionally, crack use has increased in the region, which only adds to the challenges.
In order to improve the situation in the long term and give more people access to offers of help, educational work is crucial. A new chapter in dealing with drug addiction is opening in Hanover - and with it the hope that many more people can escape the vicious circle of addiction.
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