Rise in Tobacco Consumption in Germany Sparks Concern

According to a report from iamexpa on September 16th, the German Tobacco Industry and New Product Association (BVTE) recently released data indicating an increase in the frequency of cigarette use among the German population in the first half of 2023.

Recently, BVTE released data showing that cigarette sales in Germany have increased by 3% in the first seven months of this year, which is a stark contrast to last year's 8.3% decrease. According to analysts, the reason for the increase in tobacco consumption may be attributed to the early start of summer in Germany, as people enjoy outdoor social activities in the sunshine, which often leads to smoking behaviors.

Germany's performance in assisting people to quit smoking has been deemed unsatisfactory on the global stage. The World Health Organization (WHO) criticized Germany for its slow progress in implementing preventive policies over the past 15 years, as stated in its ninth Global Tobacco Consumption Report.

The World Health Organization's Director of Health Promotion, Rüdiger Krech, has expressed "serious concerns" over Germany's current smoking policy. Despite having indoor smoking bans in place across the country, many bars and nightclubs continue to allow smoking. However, there has been a shift in attitude in certain cities, such as Berlin, where local authorities recently announced that they will start cracking down on venues that violate the smoking ban.