[The German cigarette industry association--obstructing effective tobacco control in Germany].

In spite of up to 140,000 tobacco-related deaths each year, Germany still lacks comprehensive tobacco control policies. Through systematic analysis of internal tobacco industry documents we examined how and to what extent the German Cigarette Industry Association (Verband der Cigarettenindustrie, VdC), which is the tobacco industry's trade organisation in Germany, contributed to this lack of more effective tobacco control. The role and strategies of the VdC are illustrated by using selected case studies. The evaluated documents reveal a profound influence of the VdC on political decision-makers in Federal and State Ministries as well as on German governments. The VdC successfully curbed and delayed the national adoption of EU legislation on tobacco advertising and product regulation, public smoking bans, legislation to protect the youth, and rises in tobacco taxation. The VdC's influence has played a key role in obstructing the development and implementation of effective tobacco control policies in Germany.