Europe has the highest prevalence of tobacco smoking among adults (compared to other World Health Organisation (WHO) regions) and some of the highest levels of tobacco use by adolescents. In the EU, an estimated 700,000 premature deaths each year are caused by smoking, and annual public healthcare expenditure on treating diseases caused by tobacco products is in the region of €25 billion.
Prominent text warnings on tobacco packaging have been mandatory in the EU since 2003. Since their introduction, these text warnings have been revised and reworded in response to developing scientific, behavioural, and psychological evidence. Some member states also require colour photographs and other illustrations to be featured on cigarette packets.
