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North Yorkshire smokers told there's never been a better time to quit
Dr Lincoln Sargeant, Director of Public Health for North Yorkshire, is backing a #QuitforCovid campaign, urging smokers in the region to quit to reduce the risk to themselves and those around them from COVID-19.
Dr Sargeant said: “Now is a key time to quit smoking, not only for your own health, but for that of the people around you. The virus that causes Covid-19 targets the respiratory system and because smoking also directly affects the lungs and respiratory system, it’s easy to see why smokers may be more vulnerable to complications from the Covid-19 disease. By stopping during the pandemic, the chances of being healthy are increased. Quitting also means we can reduce our chances of needing NHS treatment at a time when its services are incredibly stretched.”
Dr Sargeant's call is part of the national #QuitforCovid campaign, led by ASH and partners in the Smokefree Action Coalition. Each day, between 7.30pm and 8.30pm, smokers needing support can join a conversation on Twitter by checking the hashtag #QuitforCovid.
Source: The Telegraph and Argus, 29 April 2020
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South Africa’s ban on tobacco gives cabinet minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma an opportunity to complete a campaign she began more than two decades ago: to stop people smoking.
Dlamini-Zuma, a medical doctor and former health minister, on Wednesday 29th April vehemently defended the government’s reversal of its decision to allow the sale of tobacco products when the five-week nationwide lockdown eases on Friday 1st May. President Cyril Ramaphosa had initially said restrictions on tobacco would be relaxed when the lockdown was lifted but subsequently reversed the decision.
The government received more than 2,000 submissions to the moratorium outlawing tobacco sales. The decision to retain the moratorium is health-related, Dlamini-Zuma said. She cited the effects of tobacco on the lungs, and said “the way tobacco is shared does not allow for social distancing,” and encourages the spread of the virus.
Dlamini-Zuma served as health minister in former President Nelson Mandela’s cabinet from 1994 until 1999. In that role, she spearheaded legislation that eventually banned smoking in public places, prohibited all forms of tobacco advertising and promotion, and recommended penalties for any breaches the regulations.
Source: Bloomberg, 30 April 2020
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BAT sticks to earnings forecast, flags first signs of sales weakness
British American Tobacco (BAT) said today, 30 April 2020, that it was maintaining its guidance of high single figure earnings per share growth for 2020 while expecting some impact on volume and revenue growth in the second-quarter due to COVID-19.
Tobacco and alcohol companies historically do well during times of upheaval in the market, such as the one caused by the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the world. The maker of Lucky Strike and Dunhill cigarettes said the impact from COVID-19 is difficult to predict. It now expects global cigarette and tobacco heating product volumes to decline to around 5%, compared to 4% earlier, but maintained its forecast for a 5% drop in the United States.
BAT said it has seen limited impact on consumer demand, pricing or consumers’ ability to access products, but added that sales in global travel retail, which represents less than 1% of its sales, have been significantly impacted.
Source: Reuters, 29 April 2020
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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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