Smoking in Germany: a look at the figures
In 2000, around 22 million people still smoked in Germany, but this figure is expected to have fallen to around 16 million by 2025.
According to the WHO data, the greatest decline in the number of smokers is among adolescents and young adults.
Among 25 to 39-year-olds, the decrease is expected to be 7.9 percent and among 40 to 54-year-olds 7.1 percent.
A decline in smoking was also observed in the older age groups, from 21.9% in 2000 to 17.7% in 2025.
The group with the lowest percentage of smokers has always been the over-70 age group at 10.3%, and this percentage is expected to fall to 8.6% by 2025.
This data suggests that efforts to reduce tobacco consumption in Germany could be successful.
However, it is important to note that there are a number of other factors (for example, development programs to prevent addiction) that need to be taken into account.
An analysis of the statistics
This trend can be observed in the number of smokers across all age groups.
One reason for this is the increasing resistance to tobacco consumption and the promotion of a healthier lifestyle.
The rapid decline in tobacco smoking in recent years has affected all generations, a lot of educational work and an increasingly poor image of smokers has also contributed to younger generations recognizing early on that smoking poses serious health risks.
In contrast to this are the positive effects of not smoking and the protection of non-smokers - many people see this as a great way to help their health and well-being.
This offers a convenient way for smokers to stop smoking tobacco - they can use a product that contains fewer harmful substances and has far fewer negative consequences for their health.
The e-cigarette industry is thus significantly reducing the number of smokers.
Online marketing strategies also play a major role here, as many people nowadays find out about the latest products via social media or websites.
It is undeniable that this is not only physically beneficial, but can also help to reduce stress and mental strain.
Demographic change
According to statistics, the number of non-smokers is steadily increasing and, in turn, the number of smokers is decreasing.
As a result, there is a shift towards a lower consumption of cigarettes.
The trend is particularly noticeable among young people, as they consume fewer tobacco products than the older generation.
Older people also no longer smoke as much, but the trend here is slow.
It is also interesting to note that regions are affected to varying degrees by demographic change.
For example, some areas have a higher proportion of non-smokers than others.
This difference shows how diverse the issue of demographic change is for Germany and what consequences it has for smoking behavior.
The development of the price of tobacco
In 2021, smokers in Germany had to pay an average of 32 cents per cigarette - a price that has increased more than tenfold since 1965.
Internationally, however, the German price is in the bottom third, while Australia ranks first with the highest price for cigarettes worldwide.
Behind this development is the constantly rising tobacco tax, which now accounts for just over 50 percent of the sales price.
This statistic can be compared directly with the number of smokers.
Added to this is VAT, which benefits the revenues of the state, the tobacco industry and the retail trade.
A large proportion of cigarette sales are usually made via grocery stores and petrol stations - but this should not hide the fact that cigarette consumption and the number of smokers have been declining since 2002; this is due not only to the high prices, but also to the five-fold increase in tobacco tax during this period.
Cigarettes will soon be a thing of the past
Philip Morris and other major tobacco companies are increasingly focusing on alternative smoking products such as e-cigarettes and vaporizers.
These have become particularly popular with the younger target group in recent years and offer many people a way out of nicotine addiction, thus reducing the number of smokers.
Many people start with low-dose E-cigarettes and vaporizers, which usually only contain a few milligrams of nicotine, and continue to reduce this amount over a longer period of time in order to be able to go about everyday life completely without nicotine in the end.
This is a clear sign that cigarette consumption is on the decline.
However, it remains to be seen whether people will completely give up traditional cigarettes and how far the number of smokers will fall.