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** 01 April 2025
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** UK
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** Support programme launched to help pregnant women quit smoking (#1)
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** Public health leader urges NHS to push councils on prevention (#2)
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** Teen hospitalised after using vape spiked with spice (#4)
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** New NHS England chief pledges to defend health service and tackle financial challenges (#5)
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** International
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** Tobacco companies push Trump administration for stricter controls on illegal vapes (#3)
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** Australia introduces tougher cigarette warnings to curb smoking (#6)
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** Gibraltar moves to create smoke-free generation with new legislation (#7)
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** UK
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** Support programme launched to help pregnant women quit smoking
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A new initiative has been introduced to assist expectant mothers in stopping smoking, aiming to improve maternal and infant health. Frimley Health Foundation Trust has appointed three specialist maternity tobacco dependency advisors to provide support to quit for pregnant women. This effort aligns with a national campaign focused on reducing neonatal mortality. Pregnant women receiving antenatal care at the trust will be offered nicotine replacement therapy alongside behavioural support from trained advisers.

Source: BBC News, 31 March 2025
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** Public health leader urges NHS to push councils on prevention

Greg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, has warned that the NHS’s 10-Year Plan risks overshadowing broader public health efforts, calling for greater government action on prevention. He stressed that while NHS interventions like weight-loss treatments have value, they are not a substitute for policies addressing root causes such as junk food regulation. He urged integrated care boards to push councils to prioritise public health measures, highlighting the need for a cross-government approach to issues like air quality and obesity. However, he acknowledged that funding constraints limit councils’ ability to implement necessary interventions.

Source: Health Service Journal, 31 March 2025

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** Teen hospitalised after using vape spiked with spice

A teenage girl was left seriously ill after inhaling a vape spiked with the synthetic drug spice, sparking renewed warnings about the dangers of illicit vaping products. Police are warning that some vaping liquids advertised as containing cannabis oil actually contain spice.

Police have reported a rise in vape spiking incidents, with children as young as 13 being exposed to harmful substances, including fentanyl and amphetamines. Criminal gangs are targeting young people via social media, selling vapes that contain dangerous additives instead of advertised ingredients. Teachers and headteachers across the country are increasingly worried about the risks in schools, with some calling for government intervention.

Source: ITV News, 31 March 2025
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** New NHS England chief pledges to defend health service and tackle financial challenges

Sir Jim Mackey, the newly appointed head of NHS England, has vowed to stand up for the NHS in policy disagreements with the government while overseeing financial improvements and service efficiency. He acknowledged that NHS England’s merger with the Department of Health and Social Care was a logical step but stressed that financial struggles could no longer be normalised. He also warned that while clinical staff cuts were not the focus, reductions in non-frontline roles were likely, particularly through significant cuts to Integrated Care Boards. Mackey emphasised the need for leadership to drive improvements in A&E performance and suggested reforms to funding models for urgent care. He hopes to reallocate deficit support funding over time while gradually shifting resources towards community care.

Source: Health Service Journal, 1 April 2025

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** International
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** Tobacco companies push Trump administration for stricter controls on illegal vapes

Big tobacco companies are lobbying the Trump administration to enforce tougher measures against unauthorised vaping products, particularly those imported from China. They argue that these illicit devices dominate the market, undermining their own legal alternatives that remain stalled in regulatory approval. Industry giants are advocating for import bans and additional tariffs to protect their market position while also calling for a more efficient approval process for new products. The companies expressed concern that broader regulatory changes could inadvertently accelerate the growth of the unauthorised vape sector.

Tobacco and vape manufacturers are seeking to influence government officials and the White House, with Reynolds donating $10 million to Trump-aligned super PAC Make America Great Again Inc. Industry executives are reportedly concerned that the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products – which is responsible for authorising new vaping products – could be targeted for further cuts, or even cut completely, as part of plans to restructure federal public health agencies.

Source: Reuters, 31 March 2025

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** Australia introduces tougher cigarette warnings to curb smoking

From today, Australia will require harsher health warnings on cigarette packaging, health promotion inserts in packs and warnings on individual cigarettes in a bid to further discourage smoking. Following Canada's example, the new rules include stark messages printed directly on cigarette filters, a phased ban on menthol cigarettes, and updated graphic warnings highlighting lesser-known risks such as DNA damage and second-hand smoke effects on children. The government hopes these changes will prompt more smokers to quit. While tobacco companies have raised concerns over a potential rise in illicit tobacco sales, authorities are boosting enforcement efforts to crack down on the black market.

Source: Mail Online, 31 March 2025


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** Gibraltar moves to create smoke-free generation with new legislation

Gibraltar’s health minister has unveiled a draft bill aiming to eliminate smoking for future generations by banning tobacco sales to those born after 1 January 2009. The proposed law, set to take effect in 2027, also seeks to prohibit single-use vapes and regulate nicotine product sales. The government has launched a public consultation on the measures, with officials calling the initiative a bold step towards safeguarding public health and the environment.

Source: SUR in English, 31 March 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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