Campaigning to improve Scotland's health, wellbeing and environment

ASH Scotland campaigns with other charities, academics and health professionals to drive changes in public health policy, legislation and regulation to improve the health, wellbeing and environments of people in Scotland. 

No Smoking Day 2023

ASH Scotland's theme for this year's No Smoking Day campaign is 'Quit and Win' and through our media, social media, parliamentary and community engagement work, we are encouraging people throughout Scotland to make attempts to quit smoking to benefit their health, wellbeing and personal finances. Find out more and download our No Smoking Day social media packs here. 

NCD Alliance Scotland

As a steering group member of NCD Alliance Scotland, we’re campaigning with other public health organisations to address Scotland’s biggest killers through action on societal factors that cause ill-health.

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) - such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and lung disease - are responsible for almost 39,000 deaths every year in Scotland — more than two-thirds of all deaths.    

In September 2021, ASH Scotland, as part of the group of Scotland’s 10 leading health charities, published a report calling for urgent and bold policy action on health harming products such as tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food and drink. A follow-up progress report was published in January 2022 here.

Scottish Parliament's Cross Party Group on Improving Scotland’s Health

Along with Alcohol Focus Scotland, we provide sectretariat duties for the Scottish Parliament's Cross Party Group on Improving Scotland's Health which is co-convened by Brian Whittle MSP, Emma Harper MSP and Foysol Choudhury MSP and brings MSPs, academics and campaigners together to discuss research, policies and campaigns aimed at improving Scotland's health by reducing the harm caused by alcohol, tobacco, poor diet and obesity. 

Ban disposable e-cigarettes campaign

ASH Scotland along with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Marine Conservation Society and Scotland-based climate activist Laura Young is calling for the Scottish Government to ban disposable e-cigarettes. 

Scottish Coalition on Tobacco (SCOT)

SCOT - the Scottish Coalition On Tobacco - is a coalition of 21 health groups, charities and civic and voluntary organisations campaigning to shape a positive future for public health in Scotland. The combined influence of SCOT adds weight to policies and campaigning, and demands the attention of all policy makers. 

Manifesto for 2021 Scottish Parliament election

ASH Scotland published a manifesto for the 2021 Scottish Parliament election calling on the Scottish Government to up its game on tobacco control. Scotland needs to urgently tackle the causes of health inequalities, including tobacco harms, protect children and young people from tobacco use and rid the environment of plastic cigarette filters.

Plastic cigarette filters

Nearly four thousand million cigarette butts discarded in Scotland each year are made of plastic, yet these cigarette filters do not bring health benefits. Cigarette butts are a substantial part of our plastic pollution problem and must be included in any plan of action on single-use plastics.

Mass media advertising

Just as tobacco companies use adverts and brands whenever they can to spread their addictive product, so can advocates of public health use the same techniques to encourage smokers to quit. We're campaigning for a comprehensive and effective mass media campaign for Scotland.