New figures showing that smokers in Greenwich cost the NHS £10m a year have sparked councillors to lobby the government for a levy on tobacco supplies.

Councillors are set to file a motion that would pressure the Government to charge tobacco companies “for the damage they cause”.

A group of 15 Labour councillors have backed the proposal, which will be heard at a meeting next week.

According to their motion, the latest figures show that 1,718 hospital admissions a year are caused by tobacco – and that the industry costs Greenwich a massive £67m annually.

Councils pay the costs of social care – services that can be put under strain by the consequences of smoking.

The motion says: “This council calls on the Government to place a levy on the tobacco industry with the money raised being used to fund tobacco control measures to reduce smoking prevalence and support smokers to quit.

“This council provides evidence-based support and medication to help smokers quit, and the money raised from the levy could help ensure that specialist support is available to all smokers who want to quit.

“A levy could also help protect children by funding enforcement activity by local trading standards, preventing trade in illicit tobacco and sales to children.”

Smoking is the largest cause of cancer in the UK, and according to Cancer Research, one in five adults light up.

It’s estimated that 16 per cent of all deaths nationally can be attributed to smoking.