The WHO has called on Germany to raise tobacco taxes and impose restrictions on smoking, highlighting the risks of tobacco and vapes, and proposing a complete ban on their sale.
Key points:
- The WHO calls on Germany to significantly increase tobacco taxes to curb consumption.
- The EU plans to reform tobacco taxes, and the tax rate in Germany may rise.
- Germany’s anti-smoking measures are limited, and the ban on smoking in public places urgently needs to be strengthened.
- Vapes and their additives have attracted attention, and the WHO suggests a complete ban on their sale.
WHO recommends that Germany raise the tobacco tax
According to a report by Merkur.de on June 25th. The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly recommends that Germany increase tobacco taxes to address the increasingly serious health risks associated with smoking. The tax rate in Germany is relatively low compared to that of the EU, and the WHO is concerned about this and suggests raising the tax to at least 75% of the price of tobacco products. Currently, the average tax rate in Germany is 61.4%.
The WHO points out that although Germany has an efficient healthcare system, its lenient tobacco regulation measures have put a large number of lives at risk. Every year, approximately 8 million people worldwide die from smoking-related diseases, and the problems of active and passive smoking need to be urgently addressed. According to the tobacco tax reform plan of the European Union. The tobacco tax in Germany may increase significantly, with the tax on cigarettes rising to 215 euros (230 US dollars) per 1,000 cigarettes.
The tax on vape cartridges may rise by 38%.
The current tobacco taxes in Germany are as follows: 11.71 euro cents (12.5 US cents) per cigarette, 57.85 euros (61.9 US dollars) per kilogram of loose tobacco, and 26 euro cents (27.8 US cents) per milliliter of vape oil. If the EU plan is approved, the tax on cigarettes will increase by 83%. The tax on loose tobacco will rise by 277%, and the tax on vape oil will also increase by 38%.
In addition, the WHO believes that Germany has made insufficient efforts in smoking support programs and advertising bans, and the smoking ban regulations in public places are not strict enough. Every year, 1.3 million people worldwide die from passive smoking. The WHO suggests expanding the areas free from smoking.
Furthermore, electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products have also raised concerns from the WHO. Although electronic cigarettes do not contain traditional tobacco, the vaporized nicotine in their oil can easily lead to addiction. As these products are often launched in flavors that children like, the WHO recommends a complete ban on their sale. Currently, 42 countries have banned the sale of electronic cigarettes.
The WHO emphasizes that the tobacco and vape industries use flavorings to attract young consumers, thereby fostering long-term users. Therefore, the WHO urges all countries to strengthen the regulation of flavoring products to protect public health.
