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** 22 October 2024
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** UK
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** Streeting says he will strengthen vaping and smoking legislation (#1)
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** Keir Starmer says new preventative measures are needed to protect public health (#2)
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** International
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** Jordan Health Ministry highlight dangers of smoking in new public awareness campaign (#3)
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** Parliamentary activity
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** Written questions (#4)
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** UK
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** Streeting says he will strengthen vaping and smoking legislation
Wes Streeting has announced plans to strengthen laws on vaping and smoking, promising a "more ambitious" bill than previous Conservative proposals. Key measures under consideration include a ban on vaping near schools and potential restrictions on smoking in public areas like pub gardens. This initiative is part of a broader consultation on the NHS's future, which aims to engage the public on health prevention strategies.
Streeting emphasised the goal of creating a smoke-free generation, with intentions to raise the legal age for cigarette sales and curb vaping among youth. While there is support for banning smoking in areas frequented by children, such as playgrounds, there is some hesitancy about extending these rules to venues like pub gardens.
Hazel Cheeseman from Action on Smoking and Health welcomed the Secretary of State’s commitment to strengthen the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in order to tackle smoking, the biggest preventable killer in the UK. Cheeseman called for the bill to be laid as soon as possible and to not allow it to be undermined by commercial interests.
Source: The Telegraph, 21 October 2024
See also: NHS consultation ([link removed])
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** Keir Starmer says new preventative measures are needed to protect public health
Yesterday, at the launch of the public consultation on the future of the NHS, Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasised the need for new measures, such as banning smoking in pub gardens and supervised toothbrushing, to protect public health. Ministers have said that the consultation and new health reforms are a “once in a generation” chance to improve Britain’s healthcare.
The government has said that the reforms for the NHS due to come out of the consultation will focus on three areas: preventing disease, updating technology and moving care into communities.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said that the consultation represents a significant opportunity for healthcare reform in Britain, with discussions already underway about the forthcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which he said would be introduced before Christmas. Streeting discussed the trade-offs between personal freedoms and public health. Hazel Cheeseman from Action on Smoking and Health said that the debate around the bill must not be undermined by commercial interests making “false arguments” about personal freedom.
Source: The Times, 21 October 2024
See also: NHS consultation ([link removed])
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Read Here ([link removed])
** International
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** Jordan Health Ministry highlight dangers of smoking in new public awareness campaign
The Ministry of Health in Jordan has launched a public awareness campaign addressing the dangers of smoking and reinforces the ban on smoking in public spaces. The initiative aims to promote behavioural and social changes for healthier lifestyles. Health officials emphasised the campaign's alignment with Jordan's national strategy to combat tobacco use.
Source: The Jordan Times, 21 October 2024
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Read Here ([link removed])
** Parliamentary activity
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** Written questions
Asked by Paul Holmes, Conservative, Hamble Valley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the impact of the generational smoking ban on Exchequer revenues in the context of the findings of the Office for Budget Responsibility outlined on page 42 of the Institute of Fiscal Studies' report entitled The outlook for the public finances in the new parliament, published on 10 October 2024.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care), Labour, Gorton and Denton
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will be the biggest public health intervention in a generation, tackling the harms of smoking and paving the way for a smoke-free United Kingdom. Smoking costs the economy and wider society £21.8 billion a year. This includes an annual £18.3 billion loss to productivity, through smoking related lost earnings, unemployment, and early death, along with £3.1 billion of costs to the National Health Service and social care. This exceeds the £8.8 billion received in tobacco duties in 2023/24.Alongside the bill, we will publish an impact assessment which will include an estimate for the impact on tobacco duty receipts. HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs have consulted on proposals for a Vaping Products Duty. This would seek to discourage non-smokers and young people from taking up vaping and to raise revenue. HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs are reviewing the responses to this consultation and will respond in due course.
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