Experts in cancer advocacy urge for fiscal measures: proposed escalation in cigarette taxation

During the Cancer Prevention Week, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe), and the German Cancer Society (DKG) are focusing on the theme "Facts against Vapor and Smoke". This initiative comes as a response to the ongoing concerns about tobacco-related deaths and the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among children and adolescents.

According to the "Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell" survey by the Robert Koch Institute, more than 28% of adults in Germany currently smoke. While this number might seem alarming, it's important to note that the trends in smoking among men and women over the past decades are not equal. The development of tobacco-related deaths in Germany reflects this disparity: numbers are continuously increasing for women, while they are decreasing for men.

The organization German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) is leading the charge in raising awareness about these issues. In 2023, they have called for a focus on the topic "Facts against Vapor and Smoke" and are offering expert interviews as podcasts on their website www.cancerpreventionweek.de.

E-cigarettes, while marketed as a safer alternative, are a cause for concern. They are particularly popular among children and adolescents, with about 7% of children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 in Germany describing themselves as regular or occasional smokers. Some e-cigarette products contain a high proportion of the addictive substance nicotine, and e-cigarette vapor contains substances classified as carcinogenic.

Professor Michael Baumann, CEO of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), suggests regularly increasing tobacco tax significantly as the most effective measure to deter young people from smoking and motivate smokers to quit. This approach has been successful in countries like Australia, where an annual tobacco tax increase of ten percent, among other measures, has led to a smoking rate that has dropped to ten percent.

Smoking is the most important preventable cancer risk factor, as stated by the current tobacco atlas of the DKFZ. Almost every fifth cancer diagnosis in Germany is attributable to smoking. Cancer diseases account for the largest share of smoking-related causes of death, with 42 percent, followed by cardiovascular diseases (about a third) and respiratory diseases (a quarter). In 2023, around 131,000 people in Germany died from the health consequences of smoking, which is approximately every seventh death (13.7 percent).

Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) describes smoking as the greatest preventable health risk in Germany. She emphasizes that not smoking or quitting smoking is the most important preventive measure against the development of lung cancer. However, the dangers of e-cigarettes are not to be underestimated. They are promoted in social media and music videos as harmless lifestyle products, but this perception is far from the truth, according to Franz Kohlhuber, CEO of the German Cancer Aid. He warns that a new generation of nicotine addicts is being created through e-cigarettes.

Information about the Cancer Prevention Week and the dangers of tobacco and e-cigarettes can be found under the hashtag #FactsUnobscured on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Let's work together to create a healthier future for all.