Compared to the early 1990s, cigarette sales have halved. Nevertheless, on average, every German has more than 1000 cigarettes per year. The consumption of tobacco, for example for hookahs, is even skyrocketing.
Around 75,500 people died in Germany in 2020 as a result of smoking. By far the most common cause of death was cancer, as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Monday in Wiesbaden on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31.
According to this, lung and bronchial cancer, larynx or tracheal cancer was the cause of death in a good 46,000 smokers, and in around 29,000 it was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Per capita consumption of cigarettes is falling
In women, the risk of dying from a tumor has increased by 73 percent within 20 years: According to statistics, around 23 women per 100,000 inhabitants died of lung and bronchial cancer in 2000, and in 2020 it was almost 40.
In men, however, the number of cases fell slightly from 73 to 68 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in the same period. “One reason for this could be the significantly increased proportion of smokers in the female population since the 1950s,” said the Federal Office.
According to the information, around 375,200 people with smoking-specific diseases were treated in German hospitals in 2020. That is almost 19 percent more inpatient treatment than 20 years ago. On average, the patients with cancer diagnoses were 67 years old, with COPD 71 years.
According to statistics, the per capita consumption of cigarettes fell by around 21 percent between 2011 and 2021. However, on average, every adult in Germany smokes 1033 cigarettes per year. For comparison: In 2002, per capita consumption was still 2161 cigarettes. For cigars and cigarillos, the average annual consumption per capita fell from 63 to 40.
Sales of pipe tobacco are skyrocketing
An opposite trend can be observed with pipe tobacco: Consumption here has increased eightfold since 2011 – from 14 to 121 grams per capita last year. In total, almost 8,400 tons of pipe tobacco were sold in 2021. According to the statisticians, the reason for the enormous increase is the growing demand for water pipe tobacco and tobacco products for so-called electric heaters.
Overall, cigarette sales in Germany have more than halved since the early 1990s. While 146.5 billion units were sold in 1991, by 2021 it was around 71.8 billion. The statistics do not show whether this is related to the advertising bans for tobacco products that have been enacted in the meantime or the warnings on the packaging.
A cigarette now costs an average of 31.65 cents
According to the statisticians, the actual tobacco consumption in Germany is likely to be somewhat higher than indicated in the current figures: only tobacco products taxed in Germany were taken into account for the evaluation. Own imports or cigarettes bought on the black market do not appear in it.
A cigarette cost an average of 31.65 cents in Germany last year. An average price of 214.17 euros was paid for one kilogram of pipe tobacco, according to a provisional list by the Federal Office.
