The number of estimated smokers in Scotland has risen for the first time in seven years, figures have shown.
Shadow health secretary Miles Briggs last night expressed concern at the rise from 806,817 in 2017/18 to 808,829 in 2018/19.
Before this, there was a downward trend in the number of smokers across Scotland with the estimated number of smokers falling from over a million in 2012/13.
Mr Briggs was also concerned at fluctuation in the amount spent on smoking cessation campaigns by the Scottish Government. The amount has varied from £588,230 in 2015/16 to £55,223 last year.
The annual cost to NHS Scotland of treating smoking related diseases is estimated to exceed £300m and may be higher than £500m each year.
In contrast to Scotland as a whole, NHS Grampian experienced a reduction in smokers from 83,263 in 2017/18 to 82,900 in 2018/19.
But there was a slight rise in NHS Highland from 43,833 to 45,862.
Mr Briggs said ministers were failing to make progress on supporting people to give up smoking.
“SNP ministers must ensure consistent funding for smoking cessation campaigns and renew efforts to support people to give up smoking,” he said.
Sheila Duffy, chief executive of Ash Scotland, described the figures as “disappointing”.
She said: “We’d like to see more funding for mass media campaigns and smoking cessation services which have been proven to help people quit.”
