It is the first comprehensive pan-European survey covering key issues for tobacco control such as smoking prevalence, patterns and practices in smoking cessation, tobacco price and tax measures, and national restrictions on tobacco advertising.

This report shows the need to move effective action on tobacco control up the political agenda in Europe

Professor Martin Jarvis, Cancer Research UK

The WHO said the survey showed the tobacco industry's continuing "assault" on public health.

However, some countries, including the UK, showed a decrease in tobacco-related deaths.

WHO regional director for Europe Marc Danzon said: "We see evidence of a hazardous harmonisation in tobacco consumption by 15 to 18-year-olds at around 30%.

"It signals a very worrisome development and we have to be aware of the harm to health it projects."

Political agenda

The WHO believes the tobacco industry is intensifying its methods of encouraging people to take up smoking.

Dr Roberto Bertollini of WHO said: "The industry is stepping up its efforts to re-engineer itself, expand its markets, recruit new smokers and promote the social acceptability of smoking."

Cancer charities are concerned that messages about the dangers of smoking are still not getting through.

Director of Education Funding at Cancer Research UK Jean King said: "Although many central and eastern European countries have worryingly high smoking rates, some have undertaken good tobacco control measures.

"Indeed, a country like Poland, which already has a comprehensive tobacco advertising ban and tight restrictions on smoking in public places, shows many western European countries in a poor light."

Professor Martin Jarvis, who is assistant director for tobacco studies at Cancer Research UK, said: "This report shows the need to move effective action on tobacco control up the political agenda in Europe.

"There are currently huge variations in prevalence, awareness, and the measures adopted.

"Less than half the member states have national action plans or meaningful restrictions on advertising, while only a third have public information programmes, and less than a quarter have restricted youth access to tobacco.

"In the 20th century, tobacco caused about 100 million deaths, but the total will rise to 1 billion deaths in the 21st century if current smoking patterns continue.

"Consistent European Union-wide tobacco control policies, if implemented, will be a major step forward, and could prevent many of those deaths."