Germany: 1 in 4 people smoke
According to correspondent Jeroen Akkermans, Germany is a country of smokers. This is partly due to the power of the tobacco industry. This industry provides up to 7,500 jobs in Germany. A small pack of cigarettes in Germany costs 7.20 euros (8.15 USD). The percentage of smokers in Germany is therefore a lot higher than in the United Kingdom. Nearly 24 percent of Germans smoke occasionally. How much does a government collect in tobacco taxes in a country where nearly 1 in 4 people smoke? An amount of 15 billion euros (17 billion USD) per year.
However, steps have now been taken to reduce the percentage of Germans that smoke. For example, the well-known shocking images on packages have been made mandatory and the price per package is being increased little by little. Yet in Germany there are still a number of things that you no longer find in most other countries. For example, you can still buy packs from cigarette vending machines on the street and cigarette brands are still allowed to advertise their products.