About us

ASH Scotland is the leading charity campaigning for effective tobacco control legislation in Scotland. For over 30 years, ASH Scotland has played a key role in raising awareness about tobacco use and its harmful effects and has contributed to the implementation of effective public health policies to help smokers to quit and to protect children from tobacco. Our main activities centre on an expert information service, parliamentary lobbying, campaigning, action-based projects and taking forward our partnerships and alliances, including the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance (STCA).

You can find out more about us by browsing the website or by viewing the:

• ASH Scotland Organisation Chart (doc, 40kb)
• ASH Scotland strategic plan 2008 - 2010 (pdf, 378kb) 
• ASH Scotland annual report 2009 (pdf, 1.5 mb)

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History

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) was set up in 1971 by the Royal College of Physicians London following the publication of two major reports: Smoking and Health (1962) which warned the general public about the harmful effects of smoking for the first time and Smoking & Health Now (1971). ASH Scotland was set up in 1973 under the auspices of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. It became a separate national organisation in 1993.

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Outcomes

ASH Scotland aims to achieve longer term outcomes through our work in Scotland, and the strategic plan (see above) sets out in more detail what we will do in the short term to make progress towards them. We are working to:

• influence public attitudes to tobacco and smoking, making progress towards a healthier smoke-free society
• cut youth smoking rates in line with or beyond national targets
• enhance the quality and reach of stop smoking services
• reduce the heavier and more widespread tobacco use that exists amongst those who are living in deprived communities or in marginalised groups, and work both to narrow the differential and to reduce overall smoking rates
• increase the range of organisations supporting our aims and work
• sustain ASH Scotland until our mission is achieved.

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In September 2008 the Scottish Government published an external review of ASH Scotland. 

• external review of ASH Scotland in the context of the funding it receives from the Scottish Government (publications)
   
• ASH Scotland’s strengths include its evidence base, ability to form and lead coalitions, working in partnership, consistency, single focus, courage, clarity and accessibility of its messages, and independence from government (findings)

 

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ASH Scotland is committed to ensuring all aspects of our work and services are carried out to the highest possible standards and we regularly evaluate and monitors our work and services to ensure that this is the case.  ASH Scotland accepts that there may be occasions when these standards are not achieved and individuals/organisations may wish to raise their dissatisfaction with the organisation.  We invite you to contact us so that if possible we can resolve matters informally.  You may also wish to review our formal procedure.

Download ASH Scotland's external complaints procedure.