15 August 2007
Public health campaigner Maureen Moore OBE, the Chief Executive of ASH Scotland since March 1995, has announced she is to step down from her post in December 2007. During her time at ASH Scotland, Maureen played a central role in the campaign to end smoking in public places in Scotland. She has built ASH Scotland from a small organisation of six to a professional organisation with a full time staff of 27 which provides comprehensive information and policy development on key issues in tobacco control; delivers training, research, monitoring and evaluation support to smoking cessation services; and supports the development of education and prevention services. Commenting on her announcement, Mrs Moore said:
'I have enjoyed my time at ASH Scotland immensely over the past twelve years and have seen real progress in tobacco control in Scotland. I have completed many of the challenges I set myself when I became Chief Executive so I feel it is time for someone else to now take the helm of ASH Scotland. I have also recently turned 60, although I don’t see leaving ASH Scotland as retiring, more an opportunity to take on other challenges!'When I began at ASH Scotland, smoking was Scotland’s biggest preventable killer yet a Cinderella service. There was little cessation work, NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) wasn’t available on prescription so not available to many who would benefit from it, and people did not take smoking seriously as an addiction. This has all changed over the dozen years I have been working in tobacco control apart from one thing – smoking remains Scotland’s biggest preventable killer and that is why it must continue to be tackled.
'I am hugely proud of the role ASH Scotland played in ensuring the people of Scotland are now protected from second-hand smoke through the ban on smoking in public places, and I’m also proud of Scotland for taking this step ahead of the rest of the UK and realising that protecting our public health is important. But there is much more work done by ASH Scotland that I am delighted has been progressed whilst I have been Chief Executive, especially in supporting smoking cessation work.
'It was ASH Scotland, through the PATH initiative (Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health), that developed a smoking cessation national training strategy and national training standards for Scotland. We now work in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University in delivering three accredited training modules in smoking cessation across Scotland so those involved in cessation have approved quality courses no matter what part of Scotland they are in.
'Another priority for me has been in the evaluation and monitoring of cessation projects, especially those dealing with the young and areas of inequalities. Smoking cessation in Scotland is still new but by sharing information and best practice we can continually improve and learn from some of the great cessation work that is going on across Scotland.
'The coalitions and partnerships of various organisations that have been built to tackle the harmful effects of smoking will remain strong because of the dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment of the many people involved in tobacco control. This includes ASH Scotland staff along with hundreds of other people involved in smoking cessation, health messages, and tobacco control. I have worked with some great people over the years and there are many of whom I will miss.
'But I leave much work still to be done. I am delighted that smoking rates are reducing in Scotland, especially amongst the young, but whilst smoking continues to cause 13,500 deaths in Scotland every year, then action on smoking and health is still vital. I know some people believe that the ban on smoking means we have done enough to tackle smoking, but we have to also look behind the statistics at the human cost. The toll on thousands of families devastated by illness and bereavement is immeasurable.
'However if we can help smokers to quit and stop others ever starting and becoming addicted to this harmful substance, then we can improve the health of the people of Scotland, increase the life expectancy of our nation, and reduce the burden of smoking related disease on the NHS. That is what I leave for the next Chief Executive to take forward.'
For further information please contact Jeanette Campbell: 0131 220 9466
View our other latest press releases