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Scotland: Sainsbury’s launches disposable vapes review which could see them put behind counters like cigarettes
Sainsbury's has been warned a company review of disposable vapes, which could see their stores put the devices behind counters, doesn’t go far enough.
The probe by the supermarket giant was revealed in a letter to Green MSP Gillian Mackay, who has called for single-use e-cigs to be taken off display in stores following an explosion in underage teen vaping.
Mackay welcomed the move as a "simple and common-sense step" - but joined charities and green groups in urging Sainsbury’s to implement a full ban of disposable vapes.
It comes amid campaigns to outlaw the throwaway gadgets due to the growing litter and pollution menace they pose in our streets and parks.
Politicians and charities have been piling pressure on retailers to restrict the products over fears that brightly-coloured, sweet-flavoured disposable vapes are targeted at youngsters.
Waitrose brought in a full ban on disposable vapes in their stores in December over environmental and health concerns.
Campaigning MSP Mackay has written to a string of big-name retailers urging them to hide single-use vapes behind neutral screens at the kiosk in the same way as traditional tobacco products.
In a response to the Green politician seen by the Record, Sainsbury’s said they did "not currently have these products behind shutters” but were “in the process of reviewing this”.
Mackay said: “This is a very welcome step by one of the UK’s largest and best-known supermarket brands.
“I would hope Sainsbury’s review concludes with the same advice issued by health, education and international experts – that disposable vapes should be kept well away from temptation for young people”.
Source: The Daily Record, 6 April 2023
See also: ASH- Policy brief on vaping
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Scott Benton suspended as Tory MP after lobbying sting
Scott Benton has been suspended as a Conservative MP after he was filmed offering to lobby ministers for a fake company in a newspaper sting.
Mr Benton had the party whip removed after referring himself to Parliament's standards watchdog.
It comes after a Times report said Mr Benton was offered a paid advisory role by reporters posing as gambling industry investors.
He did not pursue the role and no rules appear to have been broken.
Mr Benton was secretly filmed by undercover reporters saying he could table parliamentary questions and leak a confidential policy paper.
In a statement shared with the BBC, Mr Benton, MP for Blackpool South, said: "Last month I was approached by a purported company offering me an expert advisory role.
"I met with two individuals claiming to represent the company to find out what this role entailed.
"After this meeting, I was asked to forward my CV and some other personal details. I did not do so as I was concerned that what was being asked of me was not within Parliamentary rules.
"I contacted the Commons Registrar and the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner who clarified these rules for me and had no further contact with the company. I did this before being made aware that the company did not exist and the individuals claiming to represent it were journalists."
A spokesperson for Chief Whip Simon Hart said: "Following his self-referral to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards earlier this evening [Wednesday], Scott Benton has had the Conservative Party Whip suspended whilst an investigation is ongoing."
Following investigation, if they think the allegation represents a breach of the code, they can put such cases before MPs sitting on the Committee on Standards, who can decide any sanctions.
There has been a wider discussion about MPs having second jobs in recent years, and calls for reform of the rules after high profile cases involving parliamentarians conducting private business outside of their Commons duties.
Source: BBC news, 6 April 2023
See also: The Times- How Tory MP offered to lobby for gambling investors
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Gamblers under 25 to be banned from betting more than £2 per online spin in imminent shake-up
Under-25s will be banned from betting more than £2 per spin online under the government’s gambling crackdown.
But older punters could be allowed to stake up to £15 as part of an imminent shake-up of the industry to be revealed within weeks.
Cabinet documents leaked to the Sun also confirm plans to force betting firms to pay a new legal tax, expected to be set at 1% of profits, to fund help for problem gamblers.
They must do credit checks on those at risk of spiralling into debt and face fresh duties to look for “signs their losses are unaffordable”.
Free bet bonus offers will be subject to “new controls” where they are being “targeted in harmful ways”.
Premier League clubs have also agreed to remove all gambling logos from the front of players’ shirts.
A maximum stake for internet slot games of between £2 to £15 is likely to infuriate the industry fearing less profits.
Laying out the plans to colleagues, culture secretary Lucy Frazer insisted: “Our proposals are targeted to protect people who are at risk of addiction, catastrophic loss and harm, with minimal disruption to the majority.”
While almost half of British adults gamble every month, ministers are concerned at the country’s 300,000 problem gamblers and further 1.8million at risk of harm.
She plans to publish the Gambling White Paper after the Easter break.
Source: The Sun, 5 April 2023
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ASH is hiring
ASH is hiring for two roles, a Policy and Research intern and a Policy intern. Closing date for both roles is the 14th April and interviews will be held on the 3rd of May and the 14th of April respectively. The internships are six months, with the possibility of becoming permanent after this.
Find out more and apply here.
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Publication of the Hewitt review
A review into integrated care systems, commissioned in November 2022 and carried out by former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Patricia Hewitt, was published on the 4th of April.
You can read the report here.
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Achieving a Smokefree 2030 policy exchange event – speech by Public Health Minister Neil O’Brien
This follows the Minister’s commitment in the No Smoking Day backbench debate on 9th March where he made the following commitment:
“In the coming weeks I will unveil a set of proposals to realise a smokefree 2030 and respond to the Khan review"
”While I can’t divulge the specifics at this time I can assure you they are grounded in the best evidence … they are bold, innovative and ambitious and we have carefully considered all the Khan review recommendations as part of the process”.
Date: Tuesday 11 April
Time: 13.00 – 14.00
Venue: In Person and Online
You can register here.
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ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
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