New figures from Public Health Scotland reveal that the country’s NHS stop smoking services are struggling to keep pace with annual targets. Just two of Scotland’s 14 health boards are currently on course to meet their goals for 2025/26.

Published on 10 March 2026, the statistics cover July to September 2025. By the end of September, NHS Scotland had recorded only 2,626 successful twelve-week quits. The annual target stands at 7,026. That puts the country at just 37% of its full-year goal at the halfway point.

NHS Stop Smoking Services Fall Short in Quarter Two

During the second quarter alone, NHS stop smoking services across Scotland achieved 1,286 successful quits. The quarterly benchmark was 1,757, meaning services reached only 73% of what they needed to stay on track nationally.

The gap between health boards tells its own story. Progress towards the annual Local Delivery Plan (LDP) Standard ranged from 18% to 60%. That spread shows how unevenly boards are delivering against the same national standard.

Smoking Cessation Services Show a Sharp Divide Between Pharmacy and Specialist Support

The difference in outcomes between service types stands out. Among people from the most deprived areas, those who used specialist non-pharmacy smoking cessation services quit at a 12-week rate of 44%. Those who used pharmacy-based services quit at just 21%, less than half the rate.

Structured behavioural support, delivered one-to-one or in group settings with nicotine replacement therapy, clearly drives better results. The numbers make a strong case for investing in specialist provision rather than relying on pharmacy routes alone.

Deprivation at the Heart of the Target

Scotland designed the LDP Standard to reach smokers in the 40% most deprived areas, or 60% in island boards, as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). Smoking rates tend to be highest in communities already facing the greatest pressures. Targeted services remain one of the most direct tools available to close that gap.

The annual target of 7,026 twelve-week quits dates back to 2019/20. It was based on 1.5% of smokers in deprived areas achieving a self-reported successful quit through NHS smoking cessation services. Scotland paused updates during the Covid-19 pandemic and has kept the target at 7,026 ever since, despite population and service changes.

Why This Matters

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable illness and early death in Scotland. Helping people quit does more than improve individual health. It cuts the long-term pressure that tobacco-related disease places on families, communities and the wider NHS.

People in deprived communities are more likely to smoke. They also face bigger barriers to quitting without support. When NHS stop smoking services fall short, those people bear the consequences most heavily. They need the right support at the right time, and right now, too many boards are not delivering it.

The next quarterly figures are due in June 2026. For most boards, the full-year target still looks out of reach. Health boards and commissioners now face a clear question: what needs to change in the months ahead?

Public Health Scotland’s interactive dashboard offers a detailed breakdown of quit attempt data by board, service type and deprivation level.

Source: dbrecoveryresources