A new report, 'Smoking Cessation: A Health and Social Challenge', revealed that 44.1% of smokers attempted to give up over the last 12 months, while two in three (67.7%) have considered doing so at some point.

The study, produced by the Ministry of Health and the General Council of Pharmaceutical Associations, showed that up to 494,000 people used publicly funded pharmacological therapies to help them quit.

Health Minister Mónica García said there was an "enormous demand" for help to give up smoking, which the National Health Service must support.

"One in four Spaniards smokes every day and tobacco causes 50,000 deaths every year in our country," García said.

She praised public anti-smoking policies for changing societal perceptions. "It is now hard for us to imagine that people once smoked in places such as doctors’ surgeries or universities, but it is not enough simply to restrict the product; we must help those who want to give it up."

The report highlighted that professional medical intervention vastly improves a smoker's chances of success. When attempting to quit completely unaided, only 7% of smokers succeed. However, that figure rises to 50% when the individual receives professional advice from a pharmacist or healthcare provider.

Jesús Aguilar, president of the General Council of Pharmacists, called for greater backing for those trying to break the habit.

"We must support anyone who wants to give up this habit, as there is a growing demand from people who want to stop smoking," Aguilar said. "Although Spain has made great strides in the fight against smoking thanks to decades of public policy, it is still not enough."

The Health Minister also warned that smoking continues to drive social inequality, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities and those with fewer financial resources.

García concluded by taking aim at the rise of alternative products, such as e-cigarettes, which are gaining rapid popularity among younger generations.

"Those who present these products as harmless or claim that they help reduce consumption are ignoring the scientific evidence, which tells us that they are also harmful and can act as a gateway to smoking," she said.

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