ASH Scotland’s 50th Anniversary Event in Aberdeen

That the Parliament congratulates Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Scotland on taking action on smoking for 50 years; commends the health charity for holding a showcase event in Aberdeen that highlighted its funded research project, Cost of Living, Cost of Smoking: Community Intelligence for Public Health, which was led by Dr Lucia D’Ambruoso at the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with Turning Point Scotland and NHS Grampian; understands that new evidence was uncovered via participatory action research methodology, involving people living in Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 1 areas in north-east Scotland; further understands that this relates to the impact of increased stresses on family budgets and mental health for people during the cost of living crisis who smoke, and the need for better promotion of the free person-centred stop smoking services, Quit Your Way; welcomes the NHS board's positive engagement with the project, in recognition of what it sees as the importance of empowering citizens to co-produce community-led health approaches; appreciates the contribution at the event by Rebecca MacDonald, who gave a presentation on Aberdeen Youth Movement’s support for the charity’s Scotland Charter for a Tobacco-free Generation initiative,  and wishes the organisation representing young people in the city and ASH Scotland well in working together to help progress towards becoming a tobacco-free generation in Scotland by 2034.