# Scottish Government urged to act on ‘alarmingly high’ smoking death figures

By Richard Begg — 2026-05-19

Richard Begg, head of learning and development at VPZ | The Vaping Specialist, said: “Behind every one of these statistics is a family affected by smoking-related illness, and it is clear that tobacco continues to have a devastating impact on communities across Scotland – particularly in the country’s most deprived areas.

“We support continued investment in smoking cessation services and wider public health measures that help adult smokers quit combustible tobacco.

“However, it is vital that policymakers also recognise the important role that vaping can play in reducing smoking rates among adults.

“Scotland has made significant progress over the past decade, but these figures show there is still a long way to go, especially in tackling health inequalities.

“Access to accurate information, professional stop-smoking support and regulated smoke-free alternatives must remain central to future tobacco control policy.

“As the Tobacco and Vapes Act is implemented, it is essential that efforts remain focused on eliminating smoking-related harm without unintentionally discouraging adult smokers from switching to less harmful alternatives.”

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