Action on Smoking and Health

In the US, ASH was formed in 1967 by John F. Banzhaf III, and a distinguished body of physicians, attorneys and other prominent citizens who saw the need for an organization to represent nonsmokers’ rights. Over the years, ASH has taken the lead on a variety of initiatives to counter the deaths and economic burden imposed by the tobacco industry.

ASH has a long history of advocacy, education and legal initiatives in the fight against tobacco. ASH has fought for health in courts, before legislative bodies and regulatory agencies, as well as international agencies such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization. ASH's work and the work of its allies has spanned more than 40 years. Since the release of the original Surgeon General Report on smoking in January 1964, the global initiative for the prevention of tobacco-related damages has made enormous progress—and ASH has played a major role in achieving this progress.

ASH's actions have led to significant progress, including: * A ban on cigarette commercials over the airwaves in 1971; * A decision by Congress to ban smoking on airline flights in 1990; * The implementation of smoke-free legislation in a number of jurisdictions in the United States and other countries; * A 2001 executive order by President Bill Clinton prohibiting the government from promoting the sale or export of tobacco products; * Adoption and implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first international treaty that deals exclusively with tobacco issues; * Inclusion of a tobacco use reduction indicator and the WHO FCTC in the UN Sustainable Development Goals; * A global discussion and advocacy resources to link tobacco control and human rights. Provided by Wikipedia