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** 28 March 2024
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** UK
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** Edinburgh school takes a stand to stop teen toilet vaping (#3)
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** International
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** US: Heavy-smoking West Virginia becomes the 12th state to ban lighting up in cars with kids present (#6)
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** One in four workers smoke in Belgium (#4)
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** Link of the week
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** Medical management of inpatients with tobacco dependency (#8)
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** UK
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** Edinburgh school takes a stand to stop teen toilet vaping
A Scottish secondary school is saying "enough is enough" to the escalating problem of teenage vaping.
The Royal High School in Edinburgh is one of the first in the country to install vape detectors in its toilets.
But head teacher Pauline Walker said it had taken a stand by introducing detectors that let out a screaming alarm if vaping happens nearby.
She told BBC Scotland News: "We want to send a message loud and clear. Vaping is not acceptable. We will not permit it. We will not promote it."
The Royal High has invested about £1,000 in the detectors, which were wired into the three main toilets in the school at the start of March.
If pupils vape, the alarms go off immediately and a text message alerts staff.
Since being switched on, the school has had "almost zero activations" in the bathrooms.
The Scottish government's public health minister Jenni Minto told Holyrood that while smoking rates are at an all-time low, there has recently been a "notable increase" in young people using vapes.
Ms Minto was speaking as she confirmed that UK-wide legislation aimed at curbing vaping would apply in Scotland.
She said the UK government would shortly bring forward a legislative consent memorandum, which allowed Westminster to pass laws in what were usually devolved areas.
The legislation will mean people born on, or after, 1 January 2009 will never legally be able to buy cigarettes.
It also includes new powers to regulate the display, contents, flavours and packaging of vapes and nicotine products.
The Scottish government also intends to ban the sale of single-use vapes from 1 April 2025, something Ms Minto said had "overwhelming support".
Source: BBC News, 27 March 2024
See also: DHSC - Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2024 ([link removed])
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** International
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** US: Heavy-smoking West Virginia becomes the 12th state to ban lighting up in cars with kids present
West Virginia, which has the highest rate of adult cigarette use in the nation, became the 12th state to ban smoking in vehicles with children present under a bill signed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice on Friday.
But violators can only be fined up to $25 if they’re pulled over for another offense. Smoking with children present cannot be the main reason a driver is stopped.
About 22% of West Virginia adults smoked in 2021, the latest year available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke.
The bill originated in the Republican-dominated state Senate, whose majority leader, Tom Takubo, is a lung doctor. Takubo has said he made a promise long ago to a patient whose father was a heavy smoker that he would try to get such legislation passed. Takubo has made it almost an annual effort since 2017 to introduce the legislation.
The GOP-led House later gave final passage to the legislation without debate.
Source: ABC News, 22 March 2024
See also: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Smoking and Tobacco Use: Adult Data ([link removed])
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** One in four workers smoke in Belgium
A quarter of Belgian workers still smoke, according to a survey by non-profit association for well-being at work Idewe.
The study, conducted among 256,750 workers, found the highest prevalence among workers aged 35 to 44, with 28.3% smoking. However, it highlighted a downward trend in smoking with age: 23.2% among 45-55 and 20.5% in over 55s.
The number of workers who smoke has been steadily declining since 2011, but the trend was notably stagnant this year. The study also found that men smoked significantly more than women (31% compared to 17.8%).
Workers' lack of physical activity is also cause for concern. Nearly seven in ten (69%) do less than the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week. Worse still, 59% do less than 90 minutes.
Men slightly outperformed women in this regard (66% less than 150 minutes compared to 73% for women). Alarmingly, 63% of under 25s failed to meet the WHO's standard.
The study also pointed out that 58% of the workers are overweight and 24.6% have high blood pressure, unchanged from the previous report.
Source: Brussels Times, 27 March 2024
See also: Idewe - Smoke: quit smoking at work ([link removed])
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** Link of the week
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** Medical management of inpatients with tobacco dependency
In an editorial in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), Wendy Preston, Head of Nursing Practice at the Royal College of Nursing, writes:
Tobacco dependency continues to be the largest avoidable cause of death, and it is the biggest comorbidity however is often not recognised.
All clinicians should become familiar with the new British Thoracic Society (BTS) clinical statement on the medical management of tobacco dependency for hospital clinicians. Whether a nurse, doctor, pharmacist or allied health professional, it is an important element of patient assessment and treatment. We are in a privileged position to make every contact count, with a responsibility to make a difference and optimise every opportunity.
Influencing people to quit tobacco should be seen as lifesaving and recognised as such. Sadly, many opportunities are missed. Hospital-based clinicians will see many patients already harmed by smoking and will see a cohort of people with higher prevalence of tobacco dependence.
The BTS clinical statement with three supplements is essential reading for every clinician as well as those who commission tobacco dependency treatment services. It has been developed with representation from respiratory medicine, nursing, pharmacists and tobacco dependency specialists.
The clinical statement is set out in six building blocks that will develop the optimal treatment plan for inpatients with tobacco dependence.
See full clinical statement here: [link removed]
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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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