Smoking prevention and tobacco control remains one of the prime public health objectives of the European Union, the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, said today.
Speaking at a conference on European tobacco control policy in Limerick, Mr Martin said 660,000 EU citizens were dying annually from tobacco use, with 26 per cent of all cancer deaths and 15 per cent of all deaths in the EU being attributable to smoking.
The "Change is in the Air" conference is being hosted by the Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children to coincide with Ireland's Presidency of the European Union.
Mr Micheal Martin, Minister for Health and Children
Minister Martin told delegates tobacco use was the leading cause of preventable death in the European Union.
He said: "Tobacco consumption shortens lives, harms others and is a huge cost to the taxpayer in terms of health services."
He warned the tobacco industry still retained "an aggressive approach" in the promotion and marketing of its products. "As tobacco control measures become stronger and more comprehensive throughout the developed world, the industry is moving rapidly to exploit new markets in developing nations and the Third World," he said.
The World Health Organisation's Assistant Director-General, Dr Catherine Le Galès-Camus, told the conference that tobacco was killing 4.9 million people prematurely each year. Dr Le Galès-Camus warned the death toll would double to 9.8 million annually over the next 20 years, if current trends continue.
EU Commissioner Mr David Byrne said that the important message that needs to go out is that tobacco control works.
"Nearly two decades ago, smoking rates for men were often around 50 per cent. Although results vary from country to country, many member states have reduced their prevalence of male smokers, and some by as much as 15-20 per cent. This translates into thousands of lives saved," he said.
At the conference, Mr Martin was presented with the World Health Organization's special Director-General's award for his outstanding contribution to tobacco control. He is only one of two recipients of this award in 2004 and the only awardee from Europe.
