Health workers increase tobacco taxes

Health activists call for an increase in tobacco taxes

05/29/2014

Almost a third of Germans still smoke. Therefore, on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, health advocates are calling for a significant increase in tobacco taxes. A pack could then cost six to seven euros.

Increase in tobacco tax by 30 percent
As nearly one third of Germans still smoke, health advocates are calling for a noticeable increase in tobacco taxes. On the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day (31.May) said the economist Tobias Effertz (University of Hamburg), according to a dpa message on Wednesday in Berlin: „This has proven to be the most efficient lever. An increase of at least 30 percent makes sense.“ That would correspond to a package price of six to seven euros. In addition, tobacco cut for self-turning should finally be taxed as high as filter cigarettes, demanded German Cancer Aid and the action alliance no smoking. „Our investigations have shown that tobacco consumption in Germany dropped drastically, especially in the years when the cigarette tax was greatly increased“, said Martina Pötschke-Langer from the German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg.

Health risks from smoking
The Krebshilfe managing director Gerd Nettekoven stressed that smoking not only increases the risk of lung cancer, but also for other cancers. In addition, smoking often causes severe respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis or smoker's cough. And the cardiovascular system is also affected. The consequence of this can be, for example, coronary heart disease and a significantly increased risk of myocardial infarction. In addition, smoking is considered a significant risk factor for stroke. Every year, more than 100,000 people die from smoking throughout Germany and another 3,300 because they passively smoke. (Sb)