The German federal government introduced a draft law on September 8 to adjust the Tobacco Tax Act, establishing scheduled tax increases over the next four years. The draft extends beyond traditional cigarettes to include fine-cut tobacco, pipe tobacco, heated tobacco, waterpipe products, and electronic cigarette substitutes.
Health Ministers Back Higher Prices as Deterrents
Dr. Andreas Philippi, Health Minister of Lower Saxony and current chairman of the state Health Ministers’ Conference, welcomed the bill as a direct step toward reducing smoking rates among young people and adults.
“We must continue to raise the entry barriers to nicotine addiction and educate young people about the dangers of smoking and vaping. Deterrent photos on cigarette packs achieve too little. High tobacco taxes, as seen in Australia, demonstrably lead to a reduction in tobacco consumption.”
Philippi stressed that lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death among men and the second leading cause among women in Lower Saxony. He argued that price increases must be paired with advertising bans and stricter non-smoker protection policies, including vehicle smoking bans.
Data Highlights Shift Toward Disposable Vapes
Figures from the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) indicate that traditional youth smoking in Germany dropped from 27.9% in 2001 to 6.4% in 2023. Additionally, 83% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 report never having smoked combustible tobacco.
However, alternative nicotine products present ongoing challenges:
- Adolescent Vaping: Nearly 7% of 12-to-17-year-olds reported using disposable e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.
- Young Adult Usage: Among 18-to-25-year-olds, 12% used disposable vapes within the last month.
- Young Adult Smoking: In 2023, combustible tobacco smoking rates stood at 33.6% for young men and 18.4% for young women aged 18 to 25.
Federal officials expect the phased tax adjustments to disincentivize both traditional smoking and the uptake of alternative nicotine products among price-sensitive youth demographics.
