Welcome to ASH Scotland
Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. It is the only legal consumer product which kills one third to one half of those who use it as intended by its manufacturers. Most Scots who smoke are hooked before they reach the age of 16 and one in five babies are born to a mother who smoked through pregnancy. Tobacco use kills 13,500 people in Scotland every year and remains Scotland's greatest public health challenge. Smoke-free public places do make a difference - the national evaluation of Scotland's smoke-free policies demonstrated that there had been an 86% reduction in second-hand smoke in bars and a significant reduction in second-hand smoke exposure in the home.
The Scottish Government wants to address the reasons that around 15,000 young Scots become smokers every year. In May 2008 it published a long-term strategic approach to smoking prevention activity - Scotland's future is smoke free: a smoking prevention action plan. The plan contains an ambitious programme of measures designed specifically to discourage children and young people from starting to smoke and becoming regular smokers.
Tobacco Information Scotland has been developed as a national gateway to tobacco control information and in the boxes below are links to some of ASH Scotland's other key initiatives, information resources and alliances.
ASH Scotland acknowledges with thanks the support of the
British Heart Foundation and the Scottish Government in developing our website.