Global Non-Smoking Day - Advocates for Prohibiting Cigarette Sales in Supermarkets
In honor of World No Tobacco Day, a team of health advocacy groups is urging for a prohibition on selling cigarettes in supermarkets and gas stations. According to Katrin Schaller from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), cigarette and e-cigarette sales should instead be confined to licensed specialty stores.
The temptation to buy is heightened when individuals are standing in checkout lines at grocery stores or cash registers at gas stations. Along with this, Schaller urged for an outlawing of all forms of advertising at these locations. DKFZ, the No Smoking Action Alliance, and other organizations wrote a collective plea to Bundestag MPs from the traffic light coalition, insisting on stringent actions regarding tobacco consumption.
Moreover, the Federal Drug Commissioner, Burkhard Blienert, also expressed support for eliminating nicotine advertisements. "I don't wish to ban smoking for anyone," the SPD politician conveyed to the German Press Agency. "But the fact that smoking is still promoted with appealing images at every gas station and supermarket checkout by 2024 is indefensible." The advertising greatly facilitates a favorable perception of unhealthy products and makes quitting more challenging given the non-stop reminders of cigarettes.
127,000 fatalities result annually from tobacco and nicotine usage
Blienert analyzed the data: "It's fantastic news that less and less young people are smoking." However, Germany still grapples with a massive concern. "Approximately 127,000 German citizens succumb annually due to the impact of tobacco and nicotine use, and each year, the fiscal burden on the nation surpasses 100 billion euros," he noted. This encompasses deaths resulting from circulatory and respiratory ailments. Lung cancer remains the second-most common cancer among men and ranks third for women in Germany.
Since 2001, the prevalence of young male and female smokers has plummeted as outlined in a representative study conducted by the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA). "Most young adults no longer find smoking trendy," stated Johannes Nießen, the acting chief of BZgA.
Rates of female juveniles who smoked plummeted from 27.9% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2016 and stood at 6.4% in 2023. Conversely, the proportion of male youth smokers reduced from 27.2% in 2001 to 9.3% in 2015, ultimately reaching 7.2% in 2023. The proportion of smokers aged 18-25 also diminished.
Similarly, 6.7% and 12% of 12-to-17-year-olds and 18-to-25-year-olds, respectively, had utilized e-cigarettes within the previous 30 days, as indicated by a BZgA survey. Polling 7,001 subjects between the ages of 12 and 25 from April to June 2023, the study discovered:
Blienert staunchly endorsed a ban on disposable e-cigarettes. "These products amplify the chance of nicotine addiction and are exceptionally harmful to the environment." These devices cause adolescents to become entrenched in nicotine addiction, potentially never relinquishing it after 30, 40 years, or perhaps never. Blienert condemned relying on European channels to implement bans, as they could take years.
In 2021's coalition agreement, the parties agreed to intensify laws regulating marketing and sponsorship for nicotine. "Since then, there has been insufficient progress; the coalition has not moved forward as planned," stressed Schaller from DKFZ. DKFZ and other anti-tobacco organizations advocate for standardized packaging of tobacco products - branding should no longer be visible. "All packages must be olive green and showcase the brand name using identical typography," Schaller elucidated.
The tobacco industry provides a disgruntled response to the lobby's agenda. Jan Mücken from the Federal Association of the Tobacco Industry and New Products (BVTE) retorted, stating that the advertising liberties of the sector had been restricted since the launch of the year, as well as linking the ineffectiveness of curbing e-cigarette marketing on posters. He surmised that additional prohibitions would not reduce the number of smokers.
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- In response to the advocacy, the traffic light coalition, a German political alliance, is considering the proposal.
- The proposed ban on cigarette sales in petrol stations is also part of the health advocates' plea.
- Schaller also urged for a restriction on cigarette advertising in Cologne and other major cities.
- The World No Tobacco Day celebration in Berlin drew attention to the negative health effects of tobacco and nicotine.
- The BZgA, along with other health organizations, supports the ban on cigarette sales in supermarkets and petrol stations.
- Blienert advocated for a ban on cigarette advertising near schools and playgrounds, emphasizing the impact on children's health.
- E-cigarettes, despite being less harmful than conventional cigarettes, were also targeted in the plea for stricter regulations due to their appeal to young people.
- DKFZ is conducting research on the effects of smoking and e-cigarette use on health, aiming to develop strategies for prevention and cessation.
- The tobacco industry has pushed back against these regulations, arguing that they infringe on their companies' marketing rights.
- Blienert called for international cooperation in regulating tobacco and e-cigarette products, citing the global impact of tobacco-related diseases.
- The Heidelberg University Hospital is one of several medical institutions actively involved in tobacco control research and treatment, working towards reducing tobacco usage worldwide.
