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** 3 December 2024
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** UK
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** Vapes maker acquires Typhoo Tea for £10M after administration (#1)
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** Junk food ad ban to prevent 20,000 childhood obesity cases (#2)
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** Conservative ministers oppose prosecuting vape advertising (#3)
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** Nurses and midwives urged to take active role in smoking cessation (#4)
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** Concerns grow over 'smart vapes' that allow kids to play games and access social media in UK schools (#5)
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** UK
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** Vapes maker acquires Typhoo Tea for £10M after administration

Typhoo, the historic UK tea brand, has been bought out of administration by Supreme, a maker of vapes and batteries, in a £10.2 million deal. The brand, founded in 1903, had been struggling with declining sales, mounting debts, and a break-in at its Wirral factory in 2023, which resulted in extensive damage. Despite generating £25 million in revenue for the year ending September 30, Typhoo faced a £38 million pre-tax loss due to exceptional costs.

Supreme plans to operate Typhoo with a “capital-light, outsourced manufacturing model” to improve profits. The acquisition is part of Supreme’s broader diversification strategy, as it expands beyond vaping, having also acquired Clearly Drinks earlier this year. Supreme's CEO, Sandy Chadha, expressed confidence that Typhoo will thrive under their ownership, benefiting from Supreme's market reach and brand loyalty-building expertise.

Source: The Guardian, 2 December 2024
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** Junk food ad ban to prevent 20,000 childhood obesity cases

The UK government has announced a pre-watershed ban on junk food ads, aiming to prevent an estimated 20,000 cases of childhood obesity. Starting in October 2025, TV ads for foods high in fat, sugar, or salt will be restricted to after 9pm, and paid-for online ads targeting children will also be banned. The measure is expected to reduce children's calorie intake by 7.2 billion calories annually. While studies show a clear link between food advertising and calorie consumption, the impact assessment suggests the ban will only reduce children's daily calorie intake by 2.1 calories, with potential long-term effects. Health experts support the ban, highlighting the growing childhood obesity problem and its long-term health costs.

Source: The Standard, 3 December 2024

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** See also DHSC press release - Junk food ad ban legislation progresses to curb childhood obesity ([link removed]) | DDCMS – Impact assessment: TV and online restriction for paid advertising of food and drink that are High in Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) products ([link removed])
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** Conservative ministers oppose prosecuting vape advertising

Senior Conservative ministers have voiced concerns over proposed prison sentences for “serious offenders” who advertise tobacco products and vapes, under the new legislation brought under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The bill, aimed at creating a smoke-free generation, would impose a UK-wide ban on the advertising, sponsorship, and brand sharing of smoking-related products. Critics, including senior Tories, have labelled the proposal "madness," with some arguing it is overly restrictive, particularly for adults trying to quit smoking. They also raised concerns about the potential for overreach in future legislation.

The government defends the bill, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson emphasised that marketing vapes to children is unacceptable. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to prevent young people from becoming addicted to nicotine by banning vape advertising and allowing restrictions on flavours, packaging, and store displays. The Bill extends advertising restrictions, which have been in place for tobacco products since 2003, to include herbal smoking products, cigarette papers, vapes, and nicotine products. It is only the most serious offenders who will be imprisoned, other will receive a fine.

Source: Daily Mail, 3 December 2024
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** Nurses and midwives urged to take active role in smoking cessation

Amidst the UK’s efforts to reduce smoking and vaping, nurses and midwives play a crucial role in supporting smoking cessation. The government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently under discussion, aims to make the UK smoke-free by prohibiting the sale of tobacco to those born after January 2009 and extending the smoking ban to certain outdoor spaces.

Nurses and midwives are encouraged to take an active role in these initiatives. With smoking rates in pregnancy declining, midwives are seen as key figures in helping expectant mothers quit, as smoking during pregnancy has severe consequences for both mother and baby. The NHS Long Term Plan includes comprehensive smoking cessation programs, especially for pregnant women, and hospitals are increasingly integrating smoking cessation into routine care. One successful example is the QUIT programme in South Yorkshire, where nurses provide nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to patients.

Moreover, Greater Manchester has trailblazed a tailored smokefree pregnancy pathway including free NRT and vouchers for staying smoke-free. This has contributed to a more than 40% reduction in smoking during pregnancy in Greater Manchester since 2018. This approach has been rolled out nationally through the NHS Long Term Plan and national financial incentive scheme.

Source: Nursing Times, 2 December 2024
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** Concerns grow over 'smart vapes' that allow kids to play games and access social media in UK schools

"Smart vapes" that resemble smartphones, featuring touch screens, apps, and notifications, are raising concerns among parents and campaigners in the UK. These next-generation nicotine devices, which have already appeared in the US and Europe, could soon reach British children. The devices have been found among schoolchildren in the US, prompting a crackdown from the FDA, which issued warnings to retailers for illegally targeting kids. Some models resemble gaming devices, like the Nintendo Gameboy, and are available for sale online, including to the UK.

The devices have alarmed experts, such as Dutch pulmonologist Dr. Sanne Hammer, who believes manufacturers are combining two addictive products—gaming and nicotine—to appeal to young people. In the UK, campaigners argue that these "smart" features are unnecessary gimmicks aimed at children. Hazel Cheeseman from Action on Smoking and Health emphasised that while vapes can help adults quit smoking, they are not suitable for children. She described smart vapes as a “needless gimmick” and said that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will give the government the powers to tighten regulations on vapes to remove any elements that do not benefit public health.

Source: Mirror, 3 December 2024
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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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