Primary and Secondary Substances of Abuse for Clients Entering Treatment in Germany 2011

"Among the persons who underwent addiction therapy for the first time, cannabis clearly led the league with a nearly unchanged share in all substances (56.6 %; 2010: 59.8 % of all clients) and was followed at a clear distance by the portion of clients treated for opioids for the first time. Their portion remained nearly unchanged (18.1 %; 2010: 17.7 %) whereas the portion of users of stimulants (15.0 %; 2010: 12.5 %) increased (Table 5.1). The proportion of persons with cocaine-related disorders declined even further also among the patients treated for the first time in comparison with the previous year (6.6 %; 2010: 6.6 %). The proportions of all other substance groups practically remained unchanged in respect of the previous year.
"Secondary addiction diagnoses made in addition to the main diagnosis are relatively common. Out of the clients with primary opioid-related problems⁹¹ about one in four clients (26.5 %) also displayed an alcohol-related disorder (dependence or harmful use) or a disorder in connection with the use of cocaine (21.9 %) (Table 5.2). Dependence on or harmful use of cannabis continued to represent the most common non-opioid secondary diagnosis in this patient group (32.2 %).
"Among clients with primary cocaine-related problems⁹² cannabis, alcohol, amphetamines and ecstasy played a dominant role as substance-related secondary diagnoses. As in previous years, almost one client in ten with a primary cocaine diagnosis additionally fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of a heroin-related disorder (8.9 %).
"Almost one in five of the clients with primary cannabis-related problems93 also displayed harmful use of or dependence on amphetamines (18.8 %). Almost one client in ten with a cannabis-related main diagnosis showed also harmful use of or dependence on cocaine (9.1%). More than a quarter of the clients with a primary disorder caused by the use of cannabinoids also fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of an alcohol-related disorder (27.4 %). Seen across the board of all substances, approximately more than a quarter of the clients had a disorder caused by the use of alcohol in addition to the primary reason for treatment admission (Pfeiffer-Gerschel et al. 2012d)."