ASH Scotland’s Nicotine Use and Mental Health survey is open to anyone, whether they currently use nicotine, have used it in the past, are thinking about quitting, or have never used it and whether or not they experience mental health difficulties. Open until February 2027.
The survey was developed in response to consistent findings from two previous youth surveys and two years of feedback through the Youth Conversations Hub meetings (reports and further information available here). Young people repeatedly said that they started using nicotine because of poor mental health, continued using it to cope with anxiety, stress or low mood, and struggled to quit because appropriate mental health support was not available. Many also described how nicotine use itself worsened their mental health over time.
The survey has therefore been designed to explore these issues directly: the relationship between mental health and nicotine use, experiences of existing services, and the gaps that still need to be filled. It has been launched now because of the combination of rising nicotine use, repeated feedback from both young people and professionals, and the absence of dedicated cessation pathways.