ASH - the anti-smoking charity
A few days ago I spoke about FOREST, the organisation in the UK that purports to stand up for the “rights” of smokers, but is in fact mostly funded by the wealthy tobacco industry. Well, the antidote to FOREST is anti-smoking organisation ASH, Action on Smoking and Health, and there are ASH organisations in the UK, the US, Australia, and other countries.
ASH UK describes itself as “a campaigning public health charity that works to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco”. Arguing that smoking is the major preventable cause of death in the UK, ASH envision a society that is free from the harm caused by tobacco, and they campaign for policy change at both national and international level. ASH rightly argue that tobacco is a uniquely dangerous consumer product and that there is no safe level of use.
ASH campaign for the denormalisation of smoking, for curbs on any form of tobacco advertising, for smokefree environments.
ASH produce a great number of publications, and also give submissions to the government, parliamentary committees, and other inquiries related to tobacco smoking.
ASH seek to highlight the health impacts of smoking to the general public, and point out the way in which the tobacco industry has had a long history of denying the health risks related to smoking.
ASH provide anti-smoking resources that can be used for presentations in workplaces and in schools, informing people about the dangers of smoking, and giving advice on how to give up.
ASH’s charitable status, and the fact that it does not receive funding from a powerful industry, is testament to its honesty.
Filed under: General, Health Effects
