The vast majority of smokers have never spoken to their doctor or pharmacist about lung health, a new survey has found.

According to the findings from the Irish Cancer Society (ICS), just 15% of smokers have raised the topic with their GP, while only 4% have spoken to a pharmacist.

Just 3% have spoken to both their GP and pharmacist.

Meanwhile, just 41% of smokers over the age of 65 have discussed this important health topic with a doctor or pharmacist.

The ICS is calling for additional support for smokers who are hoping to quit the habit, including better access to cessation services.

According to Kevin O'Hagan, cancer prevention manager at the ICS, quitting smoking is extremely difficult, but research has shown that most smokers want to give up.

"We have made enormous strides in Ireland in preventing young people from taking up the habit and that shows in the drop in smoking among 10-17 year olds from 21% in 1998 to 8% in 2015. The challenge now is to have enough resources in place to help make quitting easier for smokers. This news that almost three-quarters of smokers have never spoken to a health professional about their lung health shows there is much work to be done," he commented.

The ICS noted that even brief advice from a health professional, such as a GP, can have a positive effect on smoking cessation. Furthermore, the best outcomes among smokers who engage with cessation programmes are when a combination of behavioural support and medication are used.

"We need the right supports in the right areas. We want the HSE and the Department of Health to develop their thinking beyond the existing supports. The recent Healthy Ireland report shows that 45% of all smokers in Ireland have tried to quit in the past year without success.

"As well as committing a proportion of the tax taken from tobacco sales to increase quit supports, we also want nicotine replacement therapies to be free for those smokers who sign up to a support programmes such as the Irish Cancer Society's ‘We Can Quit' programme," Mr O'Hagan said.

The ‘We Can Quit'programme was developed by the ICS for women. It provides smokers with one-to-one and group support from trained community facilitators. Participants also have access to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) via their local pharmacy.

Mr O'Hagan noted that currently in Ireland, one in two smokers who are trying to quit are not using any of the supports available, opting for willpower alone.

Anyone looking for advice on quitting can contact the HSE's Quitline on 1800 201 203 or click here

For more information on the ICS's We Can Quit programme, click here