Smoking in Germany

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Cigarette smoker Cigarettelight.JPG
Cigarette smoker

In Germany, smoking is widespread and is subject to very few and lax regulations compared to other European countries. [1] [2] [3] Tobacco taxes in Germany are among the lowest in Europe. [4] Germany ranks last on the Tobacco Control Scale [5] and has sometimes been referred to as the "smoker's paradise" of Europe. [6] [5] According to German addiction researcher Heino Stöver  [ de ], Germany has "[...] more cigarette vending machines than any other country in the world." [7]

Contents

Under federal law, the manufacture, import, distribution, and advertisement of tobacco is regulated, while the 16 federal states of Germany each have their own legislation regarding smoking in public places, [8] which range from relatively weak regulations to full smoking bans in all licensed premises, childcare facilities, schools and governmental institutions.

As of 2024, nearly 40% of the German population live in the three states which ban smoking in all restaurants, pubs, cafés and nightclubs (Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saarland). The other 13 states permit smoking in designated rooms or in bars with a floor area of less than 75 square meters.

According to a 2013 micro-census survey, 24.5% of the German population aged fifteen years and over are smokers (29% of men, 20% of women). [9] Among the 18–25 age group, 35.2% are smokers. [10]

Prevalence

In 2005, 27% of the population were current smokers. 23% were daily smokers (28% of men and 19% of women), while 4% smoked occasionally. The highest ratio of daily smokers was in the 20–24 age group: 38% of men and 30% of women. [11] According to a 2010 study by University of Bielefeld, 9.9% of all 15-year-old males and 10.8% of 15-year-old females smoked daily, which showed a strong decline during the previous decade. [12]

As in other industrial countries, the prevalence of smoking in Germany is lower among people with higher education levels.

A 2009 comparative study found that 25.1% of male and 20.6% of female medical students in Göttingen smoked, while in London the percentages were only 10.9% and 9.1%. [13]

Germany had one of the largest numbers of cigarette vending machines per capita in the world. [14]

Cigarette smoking among adults, 2013

Smoking rate among adults by age and gender Percentage of smokers by age and gender (Germany).png
Smoking rate among adults by age and gender

According to a 2013 microcensus, about one in four (24.5%) people aged 15 years and over was a smoker: 20.9% regularly, and 3.6% occasionally. The rate of ex-smokers was 19.3%. The average age at which smokers begin is 17.8 years of age (in the age group of 15- to 20-year-olds the average age is 15.4 years).[ citation needed ]

Percentage of smokers by age and gender [15]
Age (y)MaleFemale
15–2019.9%15.0%
20–2539.9%32.8%
25–3044.3%32.2%
30–3542.5%28.3%
35–4039.0%27.9%
40–4538.3%30.3%
45–5038.9%31.1%
50–5536.7%28.3%
55–6030.7%22.2%
60–6524.9%16.8%
65–7017.0%11.0%
70–7512.5%6.7%
over 758.0%3.6%

Annual cigarette consumption per capita

In 2010, an average of 229 million cigarettes were smoked every day, corresponding to 1,021 cigarettes per capita.

Smoking behaviour by age and gender – as of 2006 [16]
Smoking behaviourWomen, 18 to 29Women, 30 to 44Women, 45 to 64Women, 65 and olderWomen, totalMen, 18 to 29Men, 30 to 44Men, 45 to 64Men, 65 and olderMen, total
Daily smokers33.6%29.3%22.0%5.1%21.9%39.3%36.0%26.1%11.8%29.2%
Occasional smokers11.0%7.4%5.3%2.4%6.1%14.4%8.3%6.9%3.8%8.1%
Ex-smokers14.6%24.1%25.5%21.2%22.3%14.7%23.9%38.2%52.1%31.8%
Never smoked40.8%39.2%47.2%71.3%49.7%31.5%31.8%28.8%32.4%30.9%

Cigarette consumption per day

Amount of smoked cigarettes per day, per Sozio-oekonomisches Panel (SOEP).

Source: Sozio-oekonomische Panel (SOEP)
CigarettesPercentage, 2006 [17] Percentage, 2012 [18]
0–47%14.7%
5–914%26.5%
10–1422%19.8%
15–1918%26.5%
20–2424%5.6%
25–295%4.4%
30–345%2.6%
35–391%
40 and more4%

Tobacco consumption from 1991 until 2013

Cigarette consumption per year from 1991 until 2013 Tobacco consumption from 1991 until 2013 (Germany).png
Cigarette consumption per year from 1991 until 2013

Average amount of cigarettes smoked daily, by year. [19]

Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany
YearCigarettes
(in millions)
1991401
1992359
1993351
1994367
1995370
1996373
1997377
1998379
1999398
2000382
2001390
2002398
2003363
2004306
2005262
2006256
2007251
2008241
2009237
2010229
2011240
2012225
2013220

Political measures against smoking

Misleading labels

Since 2003, it has been illegal to label a tobacco product as "light", "mild", "low-tar" or to use any other wording that might suggest the product causes less harm than other tobacco products. [20] [21]

Advertising

Tobacco advertising in front of a shop Kiosk-frankfurt-gallus.jpg
Tobacco advertising in front of a shop

Radio and television advertising for tobacco products was banned in 1975. [22] The Rundfunkstaatsvertrag (Interstate Broadcasting Treaty) of 1999 extended the ban to include sponsorship of television and radio shows.

In 2002, the Protection of Young Persons Act prohibited tobacco advertising in cinemas before 6 p.m. [23] On 1 January 2007, the EU Tobacco Advertising Directive came into force, banning tobacco advertising on the internet, in newspapers, and in magazines. It also prohibited sponsorship of events broadcast internationally. [24]

Germany was the last EU member state to allow billboard and cinema advertising for tobacco, but this changed with new restrictions. Outdoor advertising is being phased out: tobacco products (from January 2022), heated tobacco (from January 2023), and e-cigarettes (from January 2024). [25] Cinema advertising for tobacco was banned in 2021. [26]

Warning labels

Cigarette packs displaying warnings in German EU-Warnhinweise.jpg
Cigarette packs displaying warnings in German

Under the EU Tobacco Products Directive II, cigarette, rolling tobacco and hookah tobacco packages must cover 65% of their surface with combined pictorial and textual warnings on both large sides, plus additional warnings on the smaller sides. This has been mandatory since May 2017.

Tobacco taxation

Deutsches Tabaksteuerzeichen-Zigaretten.jpg
2003: €3.20 for 19 cigarettes
Steuerzeichen April 2014.jpg
2014: €5.00 for 20 cigarettes

In Germany, tobacco tax is calculated based on both the quantity of tobacco and the retail price (§ 3 TabakStG). The tax amount is printed on the Steuerbanderole (tax strip) of each package.[ citation needed ]

In 2002 and 2003, tax increases were introduced to finance anti-terrorist measures.[ citation needed ] In 2004 and 2005, further increases supported health insurance.[ citation needed ] In 2010, tax hikes were scheduled for five consecutive years, from 2011 to 2015.[ citation needed ]

As of 2015, the tobacco tax was 9.82 cents per cigarette plus 21.69% of the retail price, with a minimum of 19.636 cents per cigarette (excluding VAT).[ citation needed ]

Example calculation for a pack of 19 cigarettes at €5.00
19 × €0.0982 + €5.00 × 21.69% = €1.87 + €1.08 = €2.95

Sale restrictions

Several laws regulate the retail sale of tobacco products in Germany.

Federal smoking ban

The Federal Non-Smoking Protection Act (Bundesnichtraucherschutzgesetz, BNichtrSchG) introduced a smoking ban in:

The law does not apply to residential or accommodation facilities provided for personal use, and it allows for designated smoking rooms if federal conditions are met. [33]

Smoking ban by state

Flag of Baden-Wurttemberg.svg Baden-Württemberg

The non-smoking protection law does not apply to cultural institutions (except cinemas) and sports facilities unless they are part of a school.

Flag of Bavaria (lozengy).svg Bavaria

Bavaria's Health Protection Act (GSG) is one of the strictest in Germany. A general ban applies in all enclosed public spaces, restaurants, cultural and leisure facilities.

Flag of Berlin.svg Berlin

Flag of Brandenburg.svg Brandenburg

Flag of Bremen.svg Bremen

Flag of Hamburg.svg Hamburg

Flag of Hesse.svg Hesse

Buildings of the Hessischer Rundfunk may establish separated smoking rooms.

Flag of Lower Saxony.svg Lower Saxony

Municipalities may ban smoking on public playgrounds.

Flag of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.svg Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Separated smoking areas may be established in most public buildings.

Flag of North Rhine-Westphalia.svg North Rhine-Westphalia

NRW has one of the strictest smoking bans nationwide.

Flag of Rhineland-Palatinate.svg Rhineland-Palatinate

Flag of Saarland.svg Saarland

Flag of Saxony.svg Saxony

Flag of Saxony-Anhalt (state).svg Saxony-Anhalt

Flag of Schleswig-Holstein.svg Schleswig-Holstein

Flag of Thuringia.svg Thuringia

See also

References

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Further reading