Smoking among adults in Germany

Smoking poses a considerable health risk and is the leading cause of premature death. Germany has implemented numerous measures (such as tax increases, protection of non-smokers, and cigarette warning labels) to reduce the population’s tobacco consumption. According to the GEDA 2014/15–EHIS survey, 20.8% of women and 27.0% of men aged 18 and over smoke at least occasionally. For both genders, the share of smokers is highest among the younger age groups. Among women and men with higher levels of education, smoking is far less common than among those with lower levels of education. Since 2003, the share of smokers in the adult population has decreased. Compared to other European countries, and in spite of making considerable progress in tobacco prevention policy, Germany still has great potential for improvement in many areas, such as bans on tobacco adverts and tobacco taxation.