Anti-smoking charity ASH Scotland wants tobacco companies to pay for stop-smoking adverts in light of a sharp drop in people attempting to quit

A health levy should be placed on tobacco company profits in order to fund mass media advertising of stop-smoking services, says anti-smoking charity Ash Scotland.

The health charity was responding to the latest government figures which revealed a 30% reduction in the number of Scots seeking help from the NHS to quit smoking.

The shocking drop in people attempting to stop smoking comes despite 70% of smokers saying they want to quit.

Sheila Duffy, chief executive of ASH Scotland, described the new figures, released today, as "alarming".

She said: "Scotland's NHS stop smoking services are expert and effective in helping smokers to quit. These services matter because tobacco is responsible for about a quarter of the recorded adult deaths in Scotland every year. Tobacco is the biggest preventable cause of death in our communities.

"I believe the lack of mass media advertising on smoking cessation over the last few years has left these vital services largely invisible to the people who need them most.

"With funding pressures on the NHS and Government, it is time to put a health levy on tobacco company profits in order to fund mass media advertising and stop-smoking services to support the 70% of smokers who want to quit."