The Italian health ministry on Thursday unrolled a 1.5- million-euro campaign, aimed at reducing the country's smoking deaths.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Health Minister Ferruccio Fazio said smoking killed at least 80,000 Italians each year, and 5.4 million people worldwide.
''Smoking is responsible for 91% of lung cancer and 30% of coronary heart disease cases,'' he said.
He also stressed the fact smoking damages fertility and increases the likelihood men will become impotent.
''Of 1,000 adult males who smoke, it is estimated that one will die a violent death, six will be killed in road accidents, while 250 will be killed by tobacco-related disease,'' the minister said.
''Anyone who starts smoking at the age of 25 can expect to shorten their life by five years,'' he added.
The campaign will start with a series of TV commercials starring a well-known Italian comedian, and later extend to cinema and newspaper advertising.
It will take a two-pronged approach, encouraging existing smokers to quit and dissuading youngsters from starting, with a clear focus on the damage to health.
The minister admitted that cigarette sales had dropped steadily over the last five years, partly as a result of a 2005 law, which outlawed smoking in all enclosed public spaces, and partly due to soaring cigarette prices, which are 40% more expensive.
According to the minister, around 42 million fewer packets of cigarettes were sold in 2008 than the previous year, meaning a 7% drop overall since 2004.
But he warned this apparent trend may be misleading, suggesting many smokers may simply have switched from ready-made cigarettes to roll-ups.
The sale of loose-leaf tobacco has in fact risen 90% over the last five years, Fazio said.
He said the affordability of roll-ups made this a worryingly attractive option for younger smokers.
There are an estimated 12 million smokers in Italy: around 1.2 million are between 15 and 24 years of age. Of these, some 130,000 are under 17.
Since 2005, central government and local administrations have embarked on a series of initiatives designed to build on the success of the anti-smoking law.
In 2007, the ban was extended to include train stations, while the cities of Naples and Verona brought in new laws preventing people from smoking in public parks.
Another government campaign began setting up medical centres to help cigarette addicts kick the habit and lowered taxes on anti-smoking products.
