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** 22 January 2025
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** UK
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** Train operator warns passenger may be removed from trains for vaping (#1)
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** Cheshire East extends voucher scheme for family members of pregnant women (#2)
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** Guernsey urged to prioritise prevention to avert healthcare crisis (#3)
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** Parliamentary Activity
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** Parliamentary Written Questions (#4)
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** UK
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** Train operator warns passenger may be removed from trains for vaping
Northern, a major UK train operator, has reiterated its ban on vaping across its trains and stations, citing frequent violations despite the rule being in place since 2014. Over the past year, passengers have lodged numerous complaints about inconsiderate vaping, with some individuals ignoring requests to stop or responding aggressively.
Staff report catching passengers vaping daily, often in concealed areas like toilets or carriage vestibules, which can trigger smoke alarms and disrupt services. The operator warns that violators may face removal from services.
Source: BBC News 21 January 2025
Editorial note:The article suggests that vaping on public transport is illegal but this is not the case. However, vaping is widely prohibited by public transport providers and in most indoor public places.
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** Cheshire East extends voucher scheme for family members of pregnant women
Cheshire East Council will continue its initiative offering vouchers to household members of pregnant women who quit smoking, aiming to reduce health risks from passive smoking. While a national scheme now supports pregnant women directly, the local programme provides up to £200 in vouchers to family members who successfully quit.
Smoking is identified as a leading cause of preventable deaths and poor health outcomes, including complications like low birth weight and prematurity. Councillors emphasised the importance of addressing smoking to protect unborn children and reduce health system costs.
Although uptake among household members has been limited, the council hopes increased awareness will encourage broader participation. Supporting families in quitting is expected to provide long-term health benefits and improve outcomes for children.
Source: Northwich Guardian, 21 January 2025
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** Guernsey urged to prioritise prevention to avert healthcare crisis
A new health report warns that Guernsey's healthcare system will face significant strain within two decades unless proactive steps are taken to prevent ill health. The report outlines six key health goals, including halving smoking rates to create a smoke-free population, reducing obesity, encouraging physical activity, and lowering alcohol consumption.
Dr Nicola Brink, Guernsey’s Director of Public Health, emphasised the ethical and financial necessity of investing in preventative measures, warning of potential hospital bed shortages and healthcare rationing without long-term planning.
The report also revealed a decline in tobacco smoking rates, now at a record low of 9.1%, compared to 13.1% in 2018 and 30% in 1988. However, vaping prevalence has nearly doubled in five years, reflecting wider trends.
Source: BBC News, 21 January 2025
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** Parliamentary Written Questions
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** Asked by Joe Robertson, Conservative, Isle of Wight
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) internal policy reviews, (b) independent reviews, (c) external reviews, (d) taskforces, (e) public consultations, (f) investigations and (g) other reviews their Department launched between 5 July 2024 and 5 January 2025; what the titles were of those reviews; and how many of those reviews have been (i) completed and (ii) published.
Answered by Karin Smyth, Labour, Bristol South
No taskforce was announced. The following table ([link removed]) shows the reviews, investigations, and consultations that were announced and launched by the Department, between 5 July 2024 and 5 January 2025, and their current statuses.
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** Asked by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Labour, Slough
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that importers comply with the ban on disposable vapes from June 2025.
AND
Asked by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Labour, Slough
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to prevent increased quantities of disposable vapes being imported before June 2025.
Answered by Mary Creagh, Labour, Coventry East
Single-use vapes are extremely wasteful and blight the streets of our towns and cities. Banning these vapes will stop them from being thrown into bins with general waste, where they typically end up in landfill or being incinerated, posing a fire risk due to their lithium-ion batteries and can cause poor air quality. Furthermore, it will stop plastic, lead, and mercury from leaching into the environment, which can cause waterways to be contaminated and poison our wildlife. We are working to ensure that businesses are aware of the obligations that they will have under the single-use vapes supply ban. We are advising that businesses should not be purchasing further single-use vapes and have made this clear in the business guidance we have published.
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