View this email in your browser ([link removed])


** 4 September 2024
------------------------------------------------------------


** UK
------------------------------------------------------------


** Where there’s smoking, there’s heated debate (#1)
------------------------------------------------------------


** The Guardian view on a global health crisis: living longer may not mean living healthier (#2)
------------------------------------------------------------


** Parliamentary activity
------------------------------------------------------------


** House of Lords oral question: Smoking: Public Places (#4)
------------------------------------------------------------


** UK
------------------------------------------------------------


** Where there’s smoking, there’s heated debate

The Guardian have published a series of letters from readers following the recent news that an outdoor smoking ban may be included in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill upon its return to parliament.

The first comes from a consultant in stroke medicine who spends their life treating people with cardiovascular disease “much of which is directly caused by the tobacco industry”. The writer claims that framing this as an economic issue for the hospitality industry or an issue of freedom of choice is mistaken. Those who smoke do not do so freely, when attempting to quit they face the Tobacco industry spending billions on “innovative and sinister ways to keep people smoking.” The writer continues that placing “economic interests of pubs and restaurants above the health of the public might not be an optimal strategy.”

The letter concludes: “Denormalising the use of tobacco is necessary to shrink the influence and profitability of an industry that is as lethal as it is amoral.”

Other letters express concern about the impact the ban will have on pubs and whether this type of legislation might be applied to other areas, with one writer asking “Obesity is a major burden on the NHS, so is the government going to ban the sale of crisps in pubs?”. Another letter compares the governments position on smoking to alcohol, wondering why more is not done for to curb alcohol use given its often destructive impact.

Another letter points out that 12.9% of adults smoke, meaning the vast majority of potential pub customers in the UK are non-smokers. This author writes that the UK hospitality industry should “consider the possibility of business improving as 87.1% of potential customers look at the prospect of going out without the impact of second-hand smoke on their enjoyment and health.”

Source: The Guardian, 3 September 2024 See also: Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of ASH said: “The priority is to get the Bill back in parliament and put on the statute book, to end smoking for the next generation and curb youth vaping. ASH would support the inclusion of powers to extend smokefree laws outdoors, subject to consultation. The Government is catching up with what the public expects, and that’s not to have to breathe in tobacco smoke in places like children’s play areas and seating areas outside pubs, restaurants and cafes. However, it’s also important to ensure that there are still outdoor areas where people who smoke can smoke in the open air, rather than inside their homes.

“Twenty years ago those who opposed banning smoking inside pubs argued it would damage business, and be unenforceable. In fact more people went to pubs after the ban came in, and compliance was 97% from day one. That was a far more radical change, smoking rates have gone down considerably since then, and the public supports extending legislation to areas outside hospitality venues, so it’s hard to see how it can damage the hospitality trade. More to the point, smoking is the leading cause of premature death and is responsible for half the difference in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest in society, and the economic cost to the economy in England alone is at least £21.8 Bn. The more we can do to end smoking altogether, the better it will be for everyone’s health and wellbeing.”

------------------------------------------------------------


**
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])


** The Guardian view on a global health crisis: living longer may not mean living healthier

This Guardian Editorial argues that chronic diseases are disproportionately affecting low and middle income countries, and that higher income nations should be doing more to alleviate this health burden.

The editorial criticises those in wealthier nations for treating poor people around the world with an out of sight, out of mind attitude, whilst continuing to fuel a global health crisis with companies which push unhealthy food products. The article points out that the biggest cause of premature death around the world is not infectious diseases, but chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. These so-called non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for three-quarters of all deaths in the world. The greatest burden falls on low and middle income countries, where 86% of all premature deaths are attributable to chronic disease.

Deaths from tobacco, alcohol, air pollution, inactivity and diets high in salt, sugar and the wrong sort of fat are on the rise as the huge industries look for new markets to exploit in poor countries where there is less education on the dangers of these products. The WHO have been outspoken about the effects of these “commercial determinants of health” and the editorial argues that more needs to be done to curb the ability of the companies behind these determinants to market and advertise.

Despite the huge health toll, only 2% of global funding for health goes into tackling the chronic diseases caused by these commercial interests. The editorial calls for greater funding to stabilise poorer nations health.

Source: The Guardian, 4 September 2024

------------------------------------------------------------


**
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])


** Parliamentary activity
------------------------------------------------------------


** House of Lords oral question: Smoking: Public Places

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock asked an oral question: To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have, and on what timescale, to introduce legislation to extend the ban on smoking in public places; and what additional measures such legislation will contain. Lord Foulkes welcomed the proposed legislation, citing overwhelming public support for a ban in beer gardens, beaches, children’s parks, hospitals.

Responding for the government, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care Baroness Maron confirmed that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill would be published “very soon” and said that it “stands to be the most significant public health intervention in a generation and will put us on track to become a smoke-free UK.”

Baroness Merron also addressed arguments that outdoor smokefree spaces would damage the hospitality industry: “after implementing the indoor smoking ban in 2007, 40% of businesses reported a positive impact on their company. Let us not forget that Office for National Statistics data showed that 69% of respondents visited pubs about the same as before, and, interestingly, 17% visited them more.”

You can read the full debate on the Hansard website by clicking below.

------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])
Have you been forwarded this email? Subscribe to ASH Daily News here. ([link removed])

For more information email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or visit www.ash.org.uk
@ASHorguk ([link removed])

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.

============================================================
Our mailing address is:
Action on Smoking and Health
Unit 2.9, The Foundry
17 Oval Way
London
SE11 5RR

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])