The smoking rate among youth in the EU is at a worryingly high 35 per cent of 15- to 24-year-olds, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey.

The findings were announced in Brussels ahead of No Tobacco Day, being marked today, by Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy John Dalli. He expressed concern about the situation among young people as well about the rise in smoking among women, which has hit a rate of 25 per cent.

Nearly one in every three EU citizens smokes - and 37 per cent of those are aged 25 to 39 - despite the fact that tobacco kills half its users, or 650,000 Europeans every year - equivalent to more than the population of Malta or Luxembourg.

It is, indeed, the single largest cause of avoidable death in the EU, killing 11 times more people than traffic accidents, Mr Dalli pointed out, determined to reduce tobacco consumption across Europe and consider measures to contribute to a clear and effective set of rules to support Europeans' health.

"People start smoking because they are led to think it is cool. They keep on smoking because it is addictive. They die prematurely because it is toxic," he said, adding that "Europe cannot passively watch future generations smoke away their health".

However, it is not all doom and the gloom and the Eurobarometer results also have some positive news, showing European citizens favour stricter tobacco control measures and more ambition in the EU's fight against smoking.

Some 63 per cent favour banning advertising tobacco in shops; 55 per cent favour putting tobacco products completely out of sight at points of sale; and 61 per cent support banning flavours that render tobacco products more appetising.

Three in every four Europeans support picture health warnings on tobacco packs and smoke-free restaurants, even though only four member states currently use them, although a few others are about to join.

Listing the challenges ahead, Mr Dalli said that despite the existing advertising ban, nearly half of EU citizens claim to have seen tobacco advertisements in the last six months, meaning its promotion has not stopped but just changed nature.

On the other hand, however, Europeans have not seen tobacco sponsorship in Formula One races for a few years, thanks to the EU 2001 Tobacco Advertising Directive.

Tobacco packages are increasingly being used as marketing tools, with the slim and colourful aimed at attracting women, while flavourings are added to attract youths and make it easier to start.

Moreover, because tobacco is still visible in shops, children get the wrong impression that it is like any other product, Mr Dalli said.

Only three member states - the UK, Ireland and Cyprus - have adopted rules for complete protection from second-hand smoke, and nine have a reasonably comprehensive legislation.

Mr Dalli strongly encouraged EU countries to adopt rules for complete protection, adding that some have already started to modernise their tobacco policies, with the UK and Ireland, for example, deciding to ban the display of tobacco at all points of sale, and France and Lithuania banning and restricting certain sweet flavours.

He insisted the EU tobacco control legislation was outdated. While it was useful to learn from other countries, his intention was to tailor it to the needs of European citizens and societies.

The Commission services have started to assess how to strengthen the Tobacco Products Directive and plan to launch a public consultation before the summer break, Mr Dalli said.

The intention is to make tobacco less enticing, to discourage people from starting to smoke in the first place and to increase motivation for smokers to quit, while continuing to encourage member states to adopt stricter measures for a smoke-free Europe by 2012.

Smoking by numbers

■ An estimated 14 million in the EU27 suffer from the six main disease categories associated with smoking.

■ According to conservative estimates, 79,000 of adults, including 19,000 non-smokers, died in the EU25 in 2002 because they were exposed to tobacco smoke at home (72,000) and at their workplace (7,300). It can be assumed that the magnitude of the problem has not changed remarkably during the last years.

■ According to the latest Eurobarometer, smoking at home is allowed by four in 10 EU citizens, with the most permissive member states being Greece, Spain and Cyprus, where at least 25 per cent allow smoking everywhere in the house. Finnish and Swedish respondents are the strictest about smoking in their homes.

■ 16 per cent of citizens allow smoking in the car all the time and 12 per cent some of the time, depending on whether they smoke themselves.

■ Of those who visited bars and eating establishments in the past six months, 45 per cent recall patrons were smoking inside the bar and 30 per cent said the same about an eating establishment.

■ A quarter of citizens are exposed to tobacco smoke in the workplace. One in 20 are exposed to tobacco smoke for more than five hours a day.

■ While the complete health benefits of smoking bans may take between 20 and 30 years to be realised, the evidence from smoke-free countries is already very encouraging. Indoor air quality improved dramatically after the smoking bans went into effect in Irish and Scottish bars. Better air quality has been mirrored by substantial reductions in the incidence of heart attacks, including a drop of 11 per cent in Ireland and Italy, of 17 per cent in Scotland and even greater reductions in some US jurisdictions.

■ Numerous studies have also shown significant improvement in the respiratory health in hospitality workers as a result of smoke-free laws, ranging from 13 to 50 per cent. Smoke-free policies have also been reported to reduce tobacco consumption and encourage quit attempts.

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