Ranking: Germany left behind with tobacco control

Berlin (dpa) - The European cancer societies have issued a poverty certificate to Germany with a view to tobacco control. The Federal Republic came in last in the ranking of 36 countries, for example when it comes to smoking and advertising bans or tobacco taxes.

"In Germany, nothing more than the legal minimum happens," said Ute Mons, rapporteur for the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. "Other countries have now voluntarily done a lot more." This is also why Germany has now slipped into last place for the first time.

The "European Tobacco Control Scale" is based on measures taken by countries to reduce smoking in the population. Germany only achieved 40 out of 100 possible points in tobacco control. For comparison: Great Britain wins 80 out of 100 points.