During the debate concerning a potential increase in the excise tax on tobacco, the Federal Drug Commissioner, Hendrik Streeck (CDU), emphasized the need for any additional revenue to be earmarked for specific purposes. Speaking to the ‘Bild’ newspaper, Streeck argued that the revenue cannot simply be absorbed into general budget stabilization efforts. He pointed out that tobacco consumption causes illness, dependency, and massive costs within the healthcare system, stating that therefore, the additional tax revenue must go where the consequences materialize-into the healthcare system itself. According to Streeck, these funds should be specifically allocated toward “prevention, smoking cessation, and treatment”.
These efforts received support from the SPD. Christos Pantazis, the health policy spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group, warned the ‘Bild’ that questioning corrective taxes like tobacco, alcohol, and sugar duties over minor budget issues represents a health policy error. He asserted that these specific levies serve not only to consolidate the budget but, crucially, exert an important preventive guiding effect.
Meanwhile, Pantazis also indicated that the SPD would support utilizing at least a portion of the tobacco tax income to provide relief to the statutory health insurance scheme. He suggested that some of the revenue generated from the tobacco tax should be used specifically to ease the burden on contributors to the health insurance system.
