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** 28 March 2025
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** UK
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** Tobacco and Vapes Bill moves closer to becoming law (#1)
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** Small Group of Retailers Express Concerns as Tobacco & Vapes Bill Progresses (#2)
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** Stoke-on-Trent council allocates £2m to smoking cessation efforts (#3)
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** International
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** Belgium set to put tobacco products out of sight in all shops (#4)
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** Links of the Week
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** Press release: ASH welcomes progress of historic smoking bill (#5)
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** Hansard: Tobacco and Vapes Bill (#6)
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** UK
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** Tobacco and Vapes Bill moves closer to becoming law
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has passed its Third Reading in the House of Commons, marking a key milestone in efforts to create a smokefree generation. If enacted, the legislation will progressively raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco, preventing those born on or after 1 January 2009 from ever buying it. The Bill also includes measures to make vaping less appealing to young people.
Smoking remains the leading cause of cancer in the UK, with millions still affected. Campaigners have long pushed for stronger tobacco control, and despite previous setbacks, the Bill was reintroduced by the Labour Government in late 2024. Widespread cross-party support has helped advance the legislation, which will now move to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. If approved, each devolved nation must also decide whether to implement the changes.
Supporters continue to advocate for the Bill’s success, believing it could significantly reduce smoking rates and prevent future cases of smoking-related diseases.
Source: Cancer Research UK, 28 March 2025
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** Small Group of Retailers Express Concerns as Tobacco & Vapes Bill Progresses
The Tobacco & Vapes Bill has passed through the House of Commons and is set to be debated in the House of Lords on 23 April. While the legislation aims to restrict youth access to tobacco and vaping products, a group of businesses have written an open letter arguing that it will unduly punish small retailers and could undermine smoking cessation efforts by limiting vape advertising. They also express concerns that it disproportionately impacts small businesses while failing to tackle the illicit tobacco trade.
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) chief executive Hazel Cheeseman defended the measures, stating that greater regulation of vapes and nicotine products is justified given their addictive nature and the rise in teenage vaping. She emphasised that the government remains committed to using vapes as a quitting tool through schemes such as ‘swap to stop’, which provides free vape starter kits to smokers looking to quit. Cheeseman also highlighted that retail licensing is popular amongst both the public and retailers, as well as trading standards who will be able to enforce the law through on the spot penalties.
Source: Better Retailing, 27 March 2025
See also: ASH - Support for Stopping the Start: Local retailers and the public back smokefree generation laws ([link removed])
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** Stoke-on-Trent council allocates £2m to smoking cessation efforts
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has announced a £2 million investment over five years to help residents quit smoking. Although smoking rates in the city have declined from 2016 to 2023, they remain higher than the national average, particularly among expectant mothers.
Previously, support was primarily available to pregnant women, their families, and individuals with severe mental health conditions. The programme has now been expanded to include people in manual jobs, social housing residents, and those receiving treatment for substance misuse.
The funding will provide access to quit-smoking seminars, enhanced pharmacy support, and collaboration with other organisations through the newly established Stoke-on-Trent Tobacco Alliance. Local health officials believe these measures will help reduce smoking-related illnesses and ease pressure on NHS services.
Source: BBC News, 27 March 2025
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** International
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** Belgium set to put tobacco products out of sight in all shops
From 1 April 2025, all tobacco and vape products, including cigarettes, cigars and rolling papers, will be required to be kept out of sight in shops across Belgium. The government aims to reduce smoking rates and discourage young people from starting by making these products less visible.
Shops will be required to store tobacco items in closed cabinets or behind counters, with severe penalties for non-compliance, including fines of up to €800,000 and potential jail time for repeat offenders. Retailers will have a one-year grace period to adjust to the new rules.
This measure is part of a broader anti-smoking initiative, which includes higher cigarette prices and an expanded list of smoke-free public areas. Health experts have supported the change, citing the significant health risks posed by smoking, which remains the leading cause of preventable cancer in Belgium.
Source: Euronews, 28 March 2025
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Read Here ([link removed])
** Links of the Week
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** Press release: ASH welcomes progress of historic smoking bill
ASH press release welcoming the progress of the historic Tobacco and Vapes Bill to the House of Lords. The bill, which aims to phase out the sale of tobacco, received overwhelming support with 366 MPs voting in favour and 41 against. You can read the full debate and contributions here ([link removed]) .
ASH Chief Executive, Hazel Cheeseman, called it a significant step toward ending smoking-related harm, which has claimed over 8 million lives in the UK. She also highlighted the importance of continuing funding for smoking cessation programs like the "Swap to Stop" scheme, which provides free vaping products to those trying to quit, and financial incentives for pregnant women to stop smoking.
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Read Here ([link removed])
** Hansard: Tobacco and Vapes Bill
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill successfully passed its Third Reading in the House of Commons and will now move to the House of Lords. The official Hansard transcript includes the full debate from the Report Stage and the vote breakdown from Third Reading.
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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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