Memo: Tobacco products proposal: Setting the record straight on 10 common myths

Every year, smoking kills almost 700,000 people in Europe and causes millions more to suffer from diseases associated with smoking, including cancers, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Around 50% of smokers die prematurely - on average 14 years earlier than non-smokers. Despite these shocking statistics, nearly a third of EU citizens smoke, 70% having started before the age of 18 and 94% before the age of 25.

In December 2012, the European Commission adopted a proposal to update the Tobacco Products Directive to improve the functioning of the internal market, while aiming at a high level of health protection in Europe. The proposal seeks to discourage young people from starting to smoke by making tobacco products and tobacco consumption less attractive.

• Primary Source

European Commission: Rapid: MEMO/13/476: World No Tobacco Day - message from Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner, Tonio Borg http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-476_en.htm

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