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** 01 April 2020
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** UK
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** Public Health Wales urges smokers to quit now (#1)
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** International
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** British American Tobacco unit working on COVID-19 vaccine using tobacco leaves (#2)
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** The smoke signals are positive for big tobacco (#3)
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** Smokefree laws take effect in Tokyo (#4)
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** UK
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Public Health Wales is urging smokers to quit as a way of reducing their risk from COVID-19 as emerging evidence shows people who smoke are more likely to develop more serious symptoms compared to non-smokers.
According to Public Health Wales, hundreds of smokers have contacted the NHS Help Me Quit helpline since the outbreak began and in response more telephone support advisors have been drafted in so smokers get the help they need. Meanwhile, ASH Wales’ website has seen a 40% increase in visitors, mostly searching for online advice on how to quit. Social media has also seen a spike in engagement with thousands of people reacting to the #QuitforCovid campaign.
Ashley Gould, Public Health Consultant at Public Health Wales, said: “Seven in ten smokers in Wales say they would like to quit – there might never be a more important time than now to try harder than ever to quit. Hundreds of smokers right across Wales are getting support right now, mainly over the phone, from NHS Help Me Quit experts, to help them reach their goal. We know that COVID-19 is mainly a respiratory disease and research on similar viruses shows tobacco smoke increases the risks of this type of infection, and how serious it can be."
Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, said: “As Covid-19 continues to spread, the message to smokers is clear – quit this deadly addiction now. Support for those who do want to give up is just a phone call away, thanks to NHS Wales. Meanwhile ASH Wales will continue to provide quit smoking advice and support online. We know that giving up smoking can be incredibly tough but there really is no more important time to quit. The health benefits kick in within minutes of stubbing out that last cigarette and continue to grow with time. Smokers should also remember, that quitting will benefit not only them, but their loved ones too, as they will be protected from the harms of second-hand smoke.”
Source: Wales 247, 31 March 2020
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** International
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** British American Tobacco (BAT), the maker of Dunhill and Lucky Strike cigarettes, said on Wednesday 1st April that its US biotech unit was working on a potential vaccine for COVID-19 using proteins extracted from tobacco leaves.
Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP), the unit developing the vaccine, could produce between 1 million and 3 million doses per week starting in June 2020, with support from government agencies and the right manufacturers, the company said. BAT said KBP, a division of BAT’s US unit Reynolds American Inc, would develop the vaccine on a not-for-profit basis.
The vaccine, currently undergoing pre-clinical testing, uses a cloned portion of COVID-19’s genetic sequence to create an antigen that is then inserted into tobacco plants for reproduction. Once harvested, the antigens - substances that induce an immune response in the body - are extracted and purified and inserted into the body to fight the virus, the company said, adding that the formulation it is developing is stable at room temperature, unlike conventional vaccines which often require refrigeration.
KBP made headlines a few years back when it said here it had created an effective treatment against Ebola called ZMapp, in conjunction with California-based Mapp Biopharmaceuticals. The drug is yet to get US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.
BAT said it was working with the FDA on the next steps and was also engaged with UK health authorities to bring its vaccine to clinical studies as soon as possible.
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Source: Reuters, 01 April 2020
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See also: Financial Times - Tobacco makers join race to develop Covid-19 vaccine ([link removed])
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Two of the world’s biggest tobacco companies have agreed new multibillion-pound debt packages and reported no material downturn in trading, despite concerns about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on smokers.
Imperial Brands has secured a three year, €3.5 billion multi-currency revolving credit facility, replacing an existing undrawn £3 billion facility. Imperial’s shares had almost halved in value over the past 12 months, but yesterday they rallied, rising by 12.3%, to £14.96.
The company also said that “although the economic and social impact of Covid-19 is developing rapidly, there has been no material impact on group performance to date and trading remains in line with expectations”. Imperial and British American Tobacco, its London-listed rival, have suggested that the geographic spread of supply chains and factories mean that sales have not been hit by coronavirus.
BAT has launched $2.4 billion of notes and plans to use the debt for “general corporate purposes, including the potential repayment of upcoming maturities”. Barclays Capital, Bank of America and Citigroup are working on the offering. Its shares rose 124pence, or 4.7%, to £27.59. Signs that tobacco sales remain resilient come in spite of suggestions that smokers are at higher risk from Covid-19. Matt Hancock, the health secretary, told the Commons last month: “It is clear from the research that smoking makes the impact of a coronavirus worse.” Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, told the Commons’ health select committee: “If you are going to give up smoking, this is a very good moment to do it.”
Source: The Times, 31 March 2020
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See also:
Bloomberg - Looks like the wrong time to quit smoking ([link removed])
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Patrons of Tokyo restaurants and bars were able to smoke indoors for the last time yesterday, 31st March 2020, as the city starts enforcing smoke free laws from April 1st.
Japan lags behind many countries in its efforts to reduce tobacco usage, and the ban - just in Tokyo - only applies to traditional cigarettes, not so-called “heat not burn” devices for which Japan is the world’s biggest market. E-cigarettes are banned across Japan.
The ban was part of Tokyo’s preparations for the now-delayed 2020 Olympics, and covers establishments with hired employees, meaning many of the family-owned-and-operated bars and restaurants that the city is famous for are exempt.
It took two years for the ban to come into effect - parliament approved the law in 2018 along with other national tobacco control legislation - highlighting the hurdles tobacco control activists face in a country where the biggest tobacco maker, Japan Tobacco, is one-third owned by the government and its products provide substantial tax revenue. “This year’s law is still not sufficient,” politician and tobacco control campaigner Shigefumi Matsuzawa told Reuters. “We had to set many compromises in order for it to pass, so there are several loopholes.”
Less than a fifth of the population in Japan still smoke, down from about half of the population, half a century ago, but cigarettes are widely available and affordable: a pack of 20 costs around 500 yen (£3.75).
Source: Reuters, 31 March 2020
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