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** 20 January 2025
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** UK
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** Industry-linked think tank raises doubts over planned UK smoking ban (#1)
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** Proposed flavour bans on vapes could drive ex-smokers back to cigarettes (#2)
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** Calls grow for cancer warnings on alcohol labels (#3)
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** International
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** New rules proposed to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes (#4)
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** Parliamentary Activity
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** Written Questions (#5)
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** UK
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** Industry-linked think tank raises doubts over planned UK smoking ban

The UK government’s plan to phase out smoking through a generational sales ban and the prohibition of disposable vapes has been criticised as impractical by the Adam Smith Institute (ASI). The think tank, which has links to the tobacco industry, argues that banning harm reduction alternatives could stall progress in reducing smoking rates. It claims that such measures risk driving smokers back to cigarettes and creating black markets.

However, Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), emphasised that the public are strongly behind a generational ban on the sale of tobacco, stressing that the ban will help bring about a smokefree future.

Source: The Express, 18 January 2025

See also: University of Bath – Tobacco Tactics: Adam Smith Institute ([link removed]) | ASH – Briefing on the tobacco industry and their tactics ([link removed]) | Adam Smith Institute - 19 Million Years of Life: The Case for Real Harm Reduction Policy ([link removed])

Editorial note: The above article failed to include the full quote from ASH Chief Executive Hazel Cheeseman, which stated the following:

“It is unsurprising that a report authored by those with links to the tobacco industry concludes that the solution to the UK’s smoking problem is more tobacco. In conflating some tobacco products with vaping, they will perpetuate the widespread misperceptions that vaping is as harmful as smoking, something they claim to want to address. The public are firmly behind the world’s first generational ban on the sale of tobacco and the government’s commitment to create a smokefree country. Much of the commentary in this report is a distraction from that goal.”
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** Proposed flavour bans on vapes could drive ex-smokers back to cigarettes

Vape industry leaders have raised concerns over new government measures that could remove certain e-cigarette flavours, such as candy floss and bubblegum, considered appealing to children. VPZ, the UK’s largest vaping retailer, reports that a significant majority of former smokers credit flavoured e-cigarettes with aiding their transition away from traditional smoking.

Source: The Sun, 20 January 2025

See also: ASH – Vaping Myth Buster ([link removed]) (paragraphs 54-56)
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** Calls grow for cancer warnings on alcohol labels

Experts are renewing calls for health warnings on alcohol labels to highlight the connection between drinking and cancer. Alcohol is linked to seven types of cancer, and evidence shows the risks begin even at low levels of consumption. Advocates, including the Alcohol Health Alliance and Cancer Research UK, point to the success of cigarette labelling as a model. The pandemic has exacerbated alcohol-related harms, with deaths linked to heavy drinking rising sharply in the UK. While Ireland and South Korea are moving forward with labelling laws, the UK government has resisted similar measures, despite growing pressure from health groups.

Source: The Sunday Times, 18 January 2025

Editorial note: Media stories covering prevention of ill-health are being included in ASH Daily News because policy change in these areas is indicative of the Government’s position on prevention and their attitudes to harm-causing industries.
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** International
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** New rules proposed to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a plan to limit the amount of nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products to less than 5% of current levels. The aim is to encourage smokers to reduce cigarette usage. Research shows that reduced-nicotine cigarettes can lower dependency and cravings, providing a potential pathway to cessation. The FDA believes this approach could complement existing options like nicotine replacement therapies. Experts, however, emphasise that quitting remains challenging, but that offering more tools to people who smoke may improve success rates.

Source: Science News, 17 January 2025
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** Parliamentary Activity
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** Written Questions

Asked by Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative, Thirsk and Malton

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 99 of the English Devolution White Paper, CP 1218, whether councils will be able to ban smoking in public places under the new byelaw powers.

Answered by Jim McMahon, Labour, Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton

The government will work with councils to determine how byelaws should be made and whether byelaw making powers should be extended to Strategic Authorities, as set out in the English Devolution White Paper.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will extend smoke-free designation to outdoor places including outside schools, children’s playgrounds and hospitals but not to outdoor hospitality settings or wider open spaces like beaches. The proposed reforms under the Bill will be subject to a full consultation, and we want to hear the views of people from across the country on this to ensure we get it right. As drafted, the Bill does not give any additional powers to local authorities.
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** Asked by Dr Simon Opher, Labour, Stroud

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the document entitled Reforming elective care for patients, published on 6 January 2025, which groups of patients will be offered the prehabilitation services outlined in that plan; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending those services to all patients referred for surgery.

Answered by Karin Smyth, Minister for Secondary Care, Labour, Bristol South

The Elective Care Reform Plan identifies the importance of supporting all patients to take control of their health, for example through smoking cessation and weight loss programmes, as they prepare for their surgery. As well as improving patient outcomes, this can also enable patients to be treated in lower acuity settings, for example in day case settings enabling patients to go home the same day.

The plan states that NHS England will work through Cancer Alliances to support improvements in prehabilitation for people about to undergo cancer treatment. The approach to this will be informed by the Macmillan Cancer Support/National Institute of Health and Care Research guidance for healthcare professionals, which is available at the following link, here ([link removed]) .

An update on this guidance is expected in spring 2025, alongside existing good practice examples.

Current NHS England guidance requires acute trusts in England to adopt earlier screening, risk assessment and health optimisation for adult patients waiting for inpatient surgery, with more information available at the following link, here ([link removed]) .

NHS England will continue to identify and work with areas of England that have programmes in place for different groups of patients waiting for surgery, including prehabilitation programmes to support patients having major surgery and waiting well programmes to support patients having all types of surgery, to learn from and share best practice.

Source: Hansard, 17 January 2025
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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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