"Let me start by recalling the wider public interest in this proposal. Tobacco use is the largest single avoidable health threat in the European Union. Statistics demonstrate clearly that the vast majority of smokers (more than 90 percent) start to smoke before they are 25-years old," Andriukaitis told MEPs in Strasbourg.
As a representative of the Lithuanian EU presidency, Andriukaitis also spoke about his personal experience as a doctor and revealed that his two brothers died of smoking-related diseases.
"My personal experience as a physician allows me to tell you how painful the death from tobacco-related diseases is. Two of my brothers also died from tobacco-related diseases and I still cannot forget their suffering and pain before they died. I am speaking now on behalf of millions of Europeans, who have already died," the Lithuanian health minister said.
Andriukaitis also called on the EU to launch a pan-European anti-smoking campaign and set an example for the world.
The Parliament is set to vote on the Tobacco Products Directive later on Tuesday. The vote had been planned during the September plenary session but was subsequently postponed. The Lithuanian health minister then accused tobacco lobbyists, who could have influenced MEPs, of stalling the Tobacco Products Directive.
Under the directive, the EU would ban the sale of cigarettes or tobacco containing flavorings, and slim cigarettes. Cigarette packages will have to display warning graphic images.
Around 650,00 people die of smoking-related diseases in the EU every year, and another 13 million suffer from smoking-related conditions.
