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Nip child vaping in the bud, says head of NHS England
Restrictions on e-cigarette advertising and flavours that appeal to children are being prepared as the head of the NHS calls for a crackdown on youth vaping.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, backed regulation to “nip this in the bud” yesterday after figures showed that the number of under-20s admitted to hospital because of the devices has quadrupled in two years.
Ministers are said to be keen to do more on vaping, with a ban on disposable devices and restrictions on flavourings and cartoon packaging believed to be among preferred measures.
No decisions have been taken but Whitehall sources say new regulations look increasingly likely within months as concern mounts among doctors about the growth in youth vaping.
Vaping delivers a nicotine hit without the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco and for many years has been seen as a crucial way to wean adult smokers off cigarettes. However, even advocates of adult vaping have become alarmed at vapes’ use among teenagers, up about 50 per cent in three years, with almost a quarter of 16 to 24-year-olds now using e-cigarettes, some of which do not contain nicotine but other chemicals.
Last month data for Action on Smoking and Health found that there had been a 50 per cent rise in the past year in the proportion of 11 to 17-year-olds trying vaping: from 7.7 to 11.6 per cent. Hazel Cheeseman, its deputy chief executive, said: “Amanda Pritchard is right that vaping is both a big opportunity to reduce smoking and that there are risks from teen vaping. Swift action is needed by government to limit youth vaping and maintain the opportunity for adults to use vapes as a quitting aid.”
Source: The Times, 14 June 2023
See also: ASH – Response to youth vaping call for evidence | ASH – Results from 2023 youth vaping survey
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Government refuses to commit to key Hewitt recommendations
The government has rejected or refused to commit to many of the cornerstone recommendations made in Patricia Hewitt’s review of the autonomy and accountability exercised by integrated care systems.
The review was commissioned by chancellor Jeremy Hunt, with health and social care secretary Steve Barclay given the responsibility of responding to its recommendations.
Ms Hewitt’s review claimed ICSs’ ability to exercise their influence was being restricted by NHSE’s insistence they cut their operating costs by 30 per cent over the next two financial years.
She suggested, “the required 10 per cent cut in the running cost allowance for 2025 to 2026 financial year should be reconsidered”.
This proposal is flatly rejected by the government. Its response states: “The 10 per cent cut… has been agreed with government and… forms part of NHS financial plans.”
Ms Hewitt recommended the government convene a “national mission for health improvement” that shifts the focus away from treating illness to promoting health and wellbeing. She suggests this could be led “personally by the prime minister”.
Her report also proposes the share of local NHS budgets being spent on “prevention” should be increased by at least one percentage point over the next five years.
The former proposal is deemed unnecessary by the government as “we have already committed to a UK-wide Levelling Up health mission to narrow the gap in healthy life expectancy” and have “established the Health Mission Working Group to provide a forum for working with other departments to explore opportunities for cross-government action to drive progress on the health.”
The latter proposal is dismissed out of hand, with the government declaring: “We do not agree with imposing a national expectation of an essentially arbitrary shift in spending.”
Source: HSJ, 14 June 2023
See also: The Hewitt review
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Illegal vapes and cigarettes worth £21,000 seized
About 1,700 illegal disposable vape pens and almost 1,000 packets of illicit and counterfeit cigarettes, with an estimated value of £21,000, have been seized in a recent investigation by Luton's Trading Standards.
It found the items along with packs of shisha, heated tobacco and counterfeit hand-rolling tobacco in a routine check of a premises in Bury Park.
It has launched a crackdown on people selling illegal vapes and tobacco, with 12,500 items seized so far.
Maria Lovell, from Luton Borough Council, said: "It is extremely concerning that shop owners are exploiting young persons and adults in our town."
Source: BBC, 15 June 2023
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Wales: Vape sales to kids a major concern, hears council
The sales of vapes to children is a "major concern", a Welsh council has heard.
Officers at Caerphilly council were reporting on the issue after carrying out operations in the county last year.
During those test purchase exercises, one in five of the attempts to buy vape or alcohol products resulted in an illegal sale.
During two operations last year, officers from the trading standards department in Caerphilly organised 25 attempted purchases in the county, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Five resulted in a sale to an underage volunteer.
During 2022-2023, the council received 55 complaints - five in relation to alcohol, one relating to tobacco, and 39 relating to vaping products.
Last year, a BBC Wales investigation found 40% of shops it attended in Cardiff sold e-cigarettes illegally to children.
A Welsh government spokesperson said: "Reports indicating an increase in use of these products by young people are very concerning.
"As part of our strategy to deliver a smoke-free Wales by 2030, we are looking at what more we can do to prevent the use of e-cigarettes by children and young people and will publish that work later this year.
"E-cigarettes should never be used by children, young people and non-smokers.
"It is illegal to sell electronic cigarettes or e-liquids to someone under 18. It is also an offence for adults to buy, or try to buy, tobacco products or e-cigarettes for someone under the age of 18."
Source: BBC, 14 June 2023
See also: ASH – Results from 2023 youth vaping survey
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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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