Becky Freeman moves on from ASH
It’s been 24 years since the inception of ASH. Five directors, and several smokefree legislations later, the attitude of
New Zealanders towards smoking is shifting. Years of advocacy work has helped us get one step closer to our goal to
create a smokefree New Zealand.
Becky Freeman has been the ASH director for the last two and a half years. During her tenure at ASH she worked
pro-actively with the government, media, smokefree workers and the wider community to ensure that we improved the health
of New Zealanders by quitting smoking.
Becky Freeman says, “There are so many people to thank for making my time here fun and interesting. Firstly, to my staff
and the ASH board for being such a fantastic team and really putting their hearts into their work. I’ll never forget the
death fashion show and the youth rally outside the British American Tobacco offices (and neither will they!). Secondly,
to my tobacco control colleagues and friends who were so willing to collaborate and partner right from the start. I feel
privileged to have worked with so many brilliant and creative people who made my work so much easier. And finally, a big
thanks to the journalists that ASH works with. The news media has done an outstanding job of covering tobacco control
issues which is an essential part of the advocacy work that we do.”
Becky has been part of the tobacco control community effort that has resulted in the adoption of picture warnings. She
also played a role in the Commerce Commission complaint that has launched the investigation into tobacco company use of
the terms “light and mild”. And finally, keep your eye out for ASH’s next big policy push – a ban on the display of
tobacco products at point-of- sale.
-Ends-