What services in the NHS have been provided to help smokers quit smoking and to secure improved facilities in pubs and restaurants for non-…

The Scottish Executive has provided £8 million over three years for smoking cessation and health education and prevention activities. This supports a range of initiatives including cessation services. Since April 2001 a full range of NRT products has been available on prescription. Smoking cessation was identified as a priority for investment from the £26 million Health Improvement Fund, and NHS Boards and Health Education Board Scotland (HEBS) have targeted resources in order to increase smoking cessation and prevention activities. HEBS are currently working on a smoking cessation resource pack for health professionals and development of health education and smoking cessation services for school age children.The Scottish Voluntary Charter on Smoking in Public Places, which aims to promote good practice and extend consumer choice to have non-smoking areas in public places such as pubs and restaurants, was introduced in May 2000. Key players from the Scottish licensed and hospitality industry have signed up to the Charter, and some thirteen hundred businesses have adopted the Charter in its first year.