View this email in your browser ([link removed])


** 9 April 2025
------------------------------------------------------------


** UK
------------------------------------------------------------


** New data analysis highlights which groups need more help to quit smoking (#1)
------------------------------------------------------------


** NHS urged to push councils harder on prevention efforts (#2)
------------------------------------------------------------


** Anti-smoking campaign brought to life through street theatre in Bradford (#3)
------------------------------------------------------------


** EU targets US tobacco with retaliatory tariffs amid trade tensions (#4)
------------------------------------------------------------


** Shareholders weigh CEO pay amid earnings decline at British American Tobacco (#5)
------------------------------------------------------------


** International
------------------------------------------------------------


** American teenager hospitalised with lung condition (#6)
------------------------------------------------------------


** Smoking rates remain high among US cancer patients despite known risks (#7)
------------------------------------------------------------


** Parliamentary Activity
------------------------------------------------------------


** Written answers (#8)
------------------------------------------------------------


** UK
------------------------------------------------------------


** New data analysis highlights which groups need more help to quit smoking

A recent study by Public Health Wales has used advanced machine learning to identify specific groups of people who may need extra support to stop smoking. By analysing more than sixty factors, the research grouped both young people and adults according to their likelihood of smoking and their potential barriers to quitting. For teenagers, links were found with mental health, substance use, and exercise habits. Among adults, differences were observed based on age, employment, health, and living arrangements. These findings aim to help health professionals and policymakers tailor interventions more effectively, supporting the Welsh Government’s goal of becoming smoke-free by 2030.

Source: WiredGov, 8 April 2025

See also: NHS Wales - Profiles of young people and adults who smoke using national surveys in a cluster analysis ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])


** NHS urged to push councils harder on prevention efforts

Public health leaders are raising concerns that the NHS’s focus on clinical interventions in the upcoming 10-Year Plan may overshadow more impactful measures needed from national and local government. Greg Fell, President of the Association of Directors of Public Health, argues that health services should place greater pressure on councils to prioritise preventative policies. He warns that reliance on medical treatments, including high-profile drugs and digital health tools, risks distracting from upstream interventions such as food regulation and housing improvements. Despite acknowledging political pressures to focus on NHS recovery, he emphasises the need for a broader, cross-government strategy addressing key public health challenges like obesity, air quality, and tobacco use. Budget constraints in local authorities remain a significant barrier to implementing these changes.

Source: HSJ, 31 March 2025
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])


** Anti-smoking campaign brought to life through street theatre in Bradford

A powerful anti-smoking campaign is being adapted into a live street performance to raise awareness about the personal cost of smoking-related illness. The "Yes to Quit" campaign, which launched in March, focuses on the life moments smokers may miss due to premature death. Theatre group Silent Uproar will perform a scene inspired by one of the campaign’s adverts at The Broadway Shopping Centre in Bradford. The performance, running hourly from late morning to mid-afternoon on 9 April, aims to encourage reflection and prompt more people to consider quitting.

Source: Telegraph & Argus, 8 April 2025

See also: YestoQuit Campaign – Yes to a smokefree future ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])


** EU targets US tobacco with retaliatory tariffs amid trade tensions

The European Union has unveiled a list of American goods, including tobacco, set to face new tariffs in response to US duties on steel and aluminium. The move marks the first phase of a broader reaction to escalating trade measures under Donald Trump’s administration. While several iconic American products such as yachts, orange juice, and motorcycles are included, some items were selected to exert political pressure on Republican-leaning states ahead of upcoming elections. The EU aims to keep its response proportionate, avoiding further escalation while signalling resolve. Final approval is expected this week, with most tariffs taking effect from mid-April.

Source: The Telegraph, 8 April 2025
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])


** Shareholders weigh CEO pay amid earnings decline at British American Tobacco

Despite a 23% shareholder return over the past three years, British American Tobacco has seen a notable fall in earnings and revenue, raising questions about executive pay ahead of its upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM). CEO Tadeu Marroco received a total compensation of £6 million in 2024, which included a salary of £1.4 million. This compensation package, which saw a 31% increase from the previous year, is in line with industry standards but raises questions given the company’s underperformance in earnings. While the company’s share price has grown, its earnings per share have dropped significantly, leading to concerns about the link between performance and pay. Shareholders are expected to scrutinise these issues closely at the AGM as they consider the company's direction and leadership rewards.

Source: Simply Wall ST, 9 April 2025
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])


** International
------------------------------------------------------------


** American teenager hospitalised with lung condition

A US 17-year-old from Nevada has developed a life-long lung disease, bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as ‘popcorn lung’. Brianne Cullen started using disposable vapes secretly at the age of 14 to cope with anxiety. After experiencing difficulty breathing, she was rushed to the hospital where she was diagnosed with the rare condition. Although treatments can help manage symptoms, the damage to her lungs is permanent.

Scientists have raised concerns about a potential link between popcorn lung and diacetyl. While diacetyl was banned in e-cigarette liquids in the UK in 2016 under the EU Tobacco Products Directive, it can still be found in products sold in the US. Cancer Research UK states there have been no confirmed cases of popcorn lung in e-cigarette users in the UK.

Source: The Daily Mail, 8 April 2025

Editorial note: ‘Popcorn lung’, or bronchiolitis obliterans, is a rare lung disease caused by scarring in the smallest airways, which restricts airflow. It can result from various factors, including infections or inhaling harmful chemicals such as diacetyl. Although some studies have raised concerns about a possible link between diacetyl and e-cigarettes, there have been no confirmed cases of popcorn lung caused by vaping. In the past, some e-liquids sold in the UK did contain diacetyl, which led to the idea that vaping might cause ‘popcorn lung’.

However, the chemical was banned in e-cigarette products under the EU Tobacco Products Directive in 2016, meaning all legally sold e-liquids and e-cigarettes in the UK are now diacetyl-free.

For further information read ASH’s briefing on common myths about vaping ([link removed]) and CRUK’s article on ‘popcorn lung’. ([link removed])

------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])


** Smoking rates remain high among US cancer patients despite known risks

A major study led by Dr Daniel Boffa of Yale Cancer Center has found that 47% of cancer patients diagnosed in the US in 2023 had a history of smoking, and 15% were still smoking at the time of diagnosis. The research analysed data from the National Cancer Database, which now includes smoking status as a variable to inform treatment strategies. Dr Boffa highlighted that quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis can dramatically improve treatment outcomes, sometimes more than new medical therapies. The researchers believe that allocating smoking cessation resources to areas with the greatest need could save lives and enhance the effectiveness of cancer care across the country.

Source: Yale News, 7 April 2025

See also: JAMA Network - Smoking Status of the US Cancer Population and a New Perspective From the National Cancer Database ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])


** Parliamentary Activity
------------------------------------------------------------


** Written answers

Gregory Campbell, Democratic Unionist Party, East Londonderry

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how he plans to implement the Tobacco and Vapes Bill across all parts of the United Kingdom.

Ashley Dalton, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Labour, West Lancashire

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is United Kingdom-wide, and has been developed in partnership with the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Department of Health and Social Care in England will work with the devolved administrations to implement the measures in the bill, including future regulations, once the bill receives Royal Assent.

------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])
Have you been forwarded this email? Subscribe to ASH Daily News here. ([link removed])

For more information email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or visit www.ash.org.uk
@ASHorguk ([link removed])

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.

============================================================
Our mailing address is:
Action on Smoking and Health
Unit 2.9, The Foundry
17 Oval Way
London
SE11 5RR

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])