A target to reduce smoking in Greater Glasgow has been surpassed by 40 per cent, new figures show.

More than 3,000 people, including 1,790 in Glasgow, were recorded as having quit smoking in the past year, with more than half coming from the most deprived areas of the city.

The Scottish Government sets the health board a target for the number of people it helps to successfully quit their habit.

Over the 12 months up to March, the board’s smokefree services surpassed that target by 42 per cent. It helped 3,084 to quit with 1,884 coming from the most deprived areas in the board.

The national figures were less encouraging with only seven per cent of Scots trying to quit with the help of NHS services, dropping for the fourth consecutive year.

Read more: Less people using NHS smoking cessation services amid rise in e-cigarettes

However, statisticians said that while the reason for the fall in service use was not clear, a rise in the use of electronic cigarettes to help quitting “is a likely contributing factor”.

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP today called on the Scottish Government to do more to help Scots quit.

He said: “Tackling Scotland’s nicotine habit will go a long way to taking pressure off struggling NHS services, including GPs on the front line. The fact that fewer people are seeking to quit and the number of people using the support services which are available through the NHS has fallen for the fourth year in a row is a real cause for concern.

“If Scotland is to be smoke free by 2034 it’s time the Scottish Government took this seriously. Raising awareness of the dangers of smoking and the help that is available to quit must be a priority.”

Dr Linda de Caestecker, director of public health, NHSGGC, said: “Stopping smoking is very difficult.

“Every person who made the life changing decision to stop deserves real praise for successfully quitting.

“We are committed to providing the best support to everyone who wants to stop smoking.

“Every year the government sets us a target for smoking cessation and it’s a testament to those who gave up, and to our staff who supported them, that we surpassed our target by 40 per cent. When you look beyond the numbers and percentages you see the human stories involved.

“Each and every person who stopped smoking has their own personal story and what it means to overcome addiction.”

Read more: Less people using NHS smoking cessation services amid rise in e-cigarettes

The health board is targeting parents living in the city’s most deprived areas in a drive to cut the risk of second-hand smoke to children.

The living room of a family home will be recreated in shopping centres and community venues in some of the city’s poorest areas to highlight the dangers.

In Scotland, six per cent of children under 12 are still exposed to smoke in the family home, which can linger for up to five hours after tobacco has been smoked.

Read more: Less people using NHS smoking cessation services amid rise in e-cigarettes

Roadshows, aimed at warning parents about the risks, will be taking place in areas including Easterhouse, Parkhead and Possil this month.

All NHSGGC Smokefree Services are free and offer services including stop-smoking advisers, free nicotine replacement therapy and other stop-smoking medications.

Visit www.nhsggc.org.uk/smokefreeservices or call 0800 84 84 84