ASH Scotland urges Edinburgh’s youth groups to join World No Tobacco Day campaign

ASH Scotland is urging youth groups in Edinburgh to join the charity’s World No Tobacco Day campaign raising public awareness about the tactics of the tobacco and nicotine industries in trying to attract and retain young people as consumers of their health harming products.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen ‘Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products’ as the theme for this year’s campaign, which aims to reveal the strategies deployed by the tobacco and nicotine industries to make addictive products attractive to young people.

ASH Scotland is working to amplify the voices of youth groups and youngsters who want to speak out to stop industry marketing tactics such as using sweet and fruit flavours, sleek designs, attractive packaging and digital media campaigns to glamorise tobacco and nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.

Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “In supporting WHO’s World No Tobacco Day 2025 campaign in Scotland, we are keen to hear from children’s and youth groups in Edinburgh who want to call out industry tactics that are trying to create a new wave of addiction among the next generation.

“We encourage young people to use their voices collectively by making short videos for sharing on their youth group’s social media channels to express how they feel about being targeted by the tobacco and nicotine industries and demand action to stop the targeted marketing of addictive, health harming products at them and their friends.

“It is vital that the views of young people in Edinburgh about disreputable industry tactics geared towards maintaining substantial profits at the cost of the next generation’s health are heard loud and clear on World No Tobacco Day.”

For information about ASH Scotland’s campaign ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Saturday 31 May, visit www.ashscotland.org.uk/WNTD.

Youth clubs interested in joining the charity’s campaign can email: 

comms@ashscotland.org.uk.

Health Charity urges Edinburgh’s youth groups to join campaign

CALL FOR END TO VAPES MARKETING TARGETING YOUNG PEOPLE

ASH Scotland is marking World No Tobacco Day by urging youth groups in Edinburgh to join the health charity’s campaign calling for the end of vapes advertising and marketing being targeted at children and young people.

‘Protecting young people from tobacco industry interference’ has been chosen by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the theme for this year’s campaign.

ASH Scotland is aiming to amplify the voices of youth groups and youngsters who want to stop the marketing of sweet flavoured, brightly coloured vapes and their promotion by organisations funded by tobacco firms targeting young people.

The charity believes concerns by the next generation of voters about marketing luring young people to start using and becoming addicted to health harming vapes should be heard loud and clear by all candidates in the General Election.

Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “In supporting WHO’s World No Tobacco Day 2024 campaign in Scotland, we are keen to hear from children’s and youth groups in Edinburgh who want to speak out about predatory tobacco industry marketing tactics promoting vapes and creating a new wave of addiction.

“For decades, tobacco industry promotions lured young people into starting to use their addictive and harmful products and, in recent years, the same is now happening with vapes.

“Vapes contain high levels of nicotine, which is very addictive, as well as toxic chemicals that have not been safety tested for breathing in and can damage lungs over time.

“We want to support young people in Edinburgh to raise their concerns about vape marketing that is targeted at them and their friends, and there is no better opportunity than during the General Election campaign!”

For information about ASH Scotland’s World No Tobacco Day campaign, visit: www.ashscotland.org.uk/WNTD.

Youth clubs interested in joining the charity’s campaign can email: 

comms@ashscotland.org.uk.