The videos are part of the EU’s new anti-tobacco campaign, which uses humour to convey a serious message.

The campaign features three TV spots now running on some 100 channels across the EU. In one, a young woman relies on a nimble-fingered monkey to help her kick the habit. In another, a man wears a plastic bubble over his head so people don’t have to breathe in his smoke.

The ads will run throughout June and again in September.

Taking a cue from YouTube, the EU is inviting people to upload videos showing how they kicked the habit. Hundreds have responded and their work can be seen on the campaign website.

The site also provides serious advice on how to stop smoking, avoid second-hand smoke or resist the urge to take up the habit. Smokers can take a test to determine how addicted they are.

Adults under 35 were made the main targets of the campaign, after an EU survey suggested smoking rates among this age group were not only high but also holding steady. By contrast, rates among older people appeared to be declining.

Tobacco is the leading avoidable cause of death in the EU, claiming about 650 000 lives a year. One in three Europeans – about 170 million – uses tobacco. Most start smoking in their youth.