Evaluation Less and less smokers in Germany

Tabakatlas Deutschland 2015: Number of smokers declining
Each year, 121,000 people in Germany die as a result of smoking. More than twice as many men as women die from a smoking-related death. This is shown by the data of the Tobacco Atlas of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ).

Fewer and fewer people smoke in Germany. Image: Brian Jackson - fotolia

The Tobacco Atlas summarizes, among other things, the latest data on regional and gender differences in tobacco consumption and analyzes their temporal change. Most smoker deaths among both sexes are found in Bremen and Berlin: Here, 23% of men and 11% of women die as a result of smoking. In Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, the fewest men (17 and 18%) die and in Saxony and Thuringia the fewest women (4 and 5%) die as a result of their smoking behavior.

More and more young people are smoking
While the smoking behavior of the 25- to 69-year-olds remained largely stable since 2009, smokers' shares among young adults and minors steadily declined. At the same time, electronic inhalation products such as e-cigarettes and e-shishas came on the market and new consumer trends emerged. These were especially adopted by young people: for example, around one third of 12 to 17 year olds have already smoked hookah and a quarter have tried e-cigarettes.

Smoking is expensive - even for the general public
The diseases caused by smoking mainly include cancer, cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases. Smoking is not only harmful to health, but also means a high financial burden for the general public. For example, smoking in Germany costs society around 80 billion euros a year. (Pm)