Data Analysis - The number of heavy smokers has more than doubled since 2012.
Back in 2022, one in every ten employees in Saxony-Anhalt had a tobacco addiction, reported the Chamber of Commerce Health Insurance. These individuals were receiving treatment for addiction, withdrawal symptoms, severe cravings, or psychological problems in an outpatient clinic. To put it into perspective, there were 102 tobacco addicts out of 1,000 employees in the region. Saxony-Anhalt, along with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (which had 103 addicts per 1,000 employees), was one of the federal states with the highest smoking rates.
In comparison to a decade ago, the number of tobacco addicts in Saxony-Anhalt was significantly higher. Back in 2012, only 41 addicts were found for every 1,000 employees. By 2019, the number had risen to 86 addicts per 1,000 employees - a significant jump. Meanwhile, on a national level, there were only 81 excessive smokers per 1,000 employees and insured people.
The data used for this analysis came from about 675,300 mandatory and voluntary insured professional members. The Chamber of Commerce Health Insurance is one of the biggest health insurance companies in Germany, with approximately 1.6 million insured individuals.
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Despite the rising tobacco addiction rates, the KKH in Hanover, part of the Chamber of Commerce Health Insurance, has been providing essential treatment and support to tobacco addicts. According to the statistics, the number of tobacco addicts in Saxony-Anhalt has increased from 41 per 1,000 employees in 2012 to 102 in 2022, making it one of the federal states with the highest smoking rates. This alarming trend, as shown in national statistics, significantly outpaces the national average of 81 excessive smokers per 1,000 employees and insured individuals.
