The government has been warned that its drive to encourage smokers to quit is being put at risk by a failure to confirm future funding.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, Martin Raw of the University of London says that in England in the 12 months to March this year around 127,000 smokers set a date to quit smoking and 48 per cent were still stopped after one month.

Such progress meant that resources can be released from treating tobacco dependence for other uses, says Raw.

But the "ring fenced" funds for these projects will finish at the end of this financial year, leaving a real prospect of the services closing down.

Primary care trusts need to establish a 2002/03 budget for their anti-smoking services, but many this is not a high priority, argues Raw.

"The world has been watching this progressive experiment in the United Kingdom with interest and, in many quarters, admiration. It would be scandalous if this admiration was to turn to mockery as three years of investment, innovation, and achievement were thrown away," he said.