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** 23 April 2025
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** UK
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** Opinion: Peers should support Bill to end smoking, says BHF chief executive (#1)
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** Trading Standards Wales position on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill (#2)
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** Government halts relaxation of slot machine rules amid concerns over player protection (#3)
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** International
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** President seeks public input on plans for generational smoking ban (#4)
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** Greece plans crackdown on flavoured e-cigarettes to protect youth (#5)
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** Parliamentary activity
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** Written answers (#6)
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** UK
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** Opinion: Peers should support Bill to end smoking, says BHF chief executive

Writing in Politics Home, Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation (BHF), has called on the House of Lords to back the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which she describes as a crucial opportunity to create a smokefree UK. Dr Griffiths highlights that the Bill will protect future generations from the harms of smoking, reduce health inequalities, and ease the burden on the NHS. Dr Griffiths argues that while the Bill is a landmark step, further action is needed to support current smokers to quit, including more funding for local stop smoking services and stronger enforcement against illicit trade.

Dr Griffiths also stresses that smoking continues to be a major cause of preventable death and disease, particularly in deprived communities. Dr Griffiths supports proposals such as a levy on tobacco companies to fund cessation efforts, and warns that failure to act would mean missing a vital chance to save thousands of lives. With the Bill now moving through Parliament, Dr Griffiths urges Peers to put public health first and help make smoking a thing of the past.

Source: Politics Home, 23 April 2025
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** Trading Standards Wales position on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Talking Retail reports that Trading Standards Wales (TSW) has expressed reservations about the proposed generational smoking ban in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, arguing there may be potential difficulties enforcing a two-tier age system. This is based on the TSW submission for the Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Bill in the Welsh parliament.

Source: Talking Retail, 22 April 2025

Editorial note: Trading Standards Wales (TSW) has issued a clarification on its position regarding the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, following concerns that its earlier consultation response may have caused confusion. In its initial submission, TSW highlighted practical challenges with enforcing the proposed generational smoking ban.

However, TSW has now made it clear that it fully supports the Bill’s age of sale measures, particularly the provision banning tobacco sales to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. TSW stressed that its previous comments were not intended to oppose the legislation, but to highlight enforcement issues that need careful management. The organisation reaffirmed its support after a reassuring briefing from National Trading Standards representatives to the Commons Bill Committee.

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** Government halts relaxation of slot machine rules amid concerns over player protection

Plans to ease regulations on high street slot machine venues across Great Britain have been paused, with ministers deciding not to proceed with changes to the '80/20 rule' this year. The proposed reforms would have allowed adult gaming centres to increase the number of higher-stakes machines, but concerns about the protection of vulnerable customers led to the decision to shelve the plans. The move follows scrutiny of the sector after reports of regulatory breaches and fines.

Campaigners and MPs welcomed the decision, calling for further measures to curb the spread of gambling outlets and to protect communities from gambling-related harm.

Source: The Guardian, 23 April 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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** President seeks public input on plans for generational smoking ban

Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has invited citizens to share their views on proposed generational smoking bans by launching polls across his social media platforms. Options under consideration include banning tobacco use for those born from 2000, 2004, or 2007 onwards. The proposed measures would permanently prevent affected cohorts from smoking, even once they reach adulthood, as part of efforts to safeguard future generations’ health.

This initiative follows a ban on vape imports, the introduction of heavy fines for vaping offences, and raising the legal smoking age to 21. The President urged the public to support these actions aimed at reducing smoking and protecting younger citizens.

Source: The Edition, 3 April 2025
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** Greece plans crackdown on flavoured e-cigarettes to protect youth

The Greek government is preparing legislation to ban flavoured e-cigarettes, excluding only natural tobacco and mint, as part of a wider effort to curb underage access to alcohol and tobacco. The move follows growing concerns about youth consumption of products like chocolate and watermelon-flavoured vapes, although the ban’s final form remains uncertain and would require European Commission approval.

While the health ministry supports the measures, some officials and industry representatives argue that a full ban would unfairly penalise adult users and risk fuelling a black market. Greece’s initiative comes amid broader EU debate on regulating emerging nicotine products, with several member states already having implemented similar restrictions.

Source: Euractiv, 23 April 2025
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** Parliamentary activity
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** Written answers

Asked by Perran Moon, Labour, Camborne and Redruth

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help improve data in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment system.

Answered by Mary Creagh, Nature Minister, Labour, Coventry East

The Waste Electronics and Electrical Equipment regulations make producers responsible for the electrical products they place on the market when they become waste. Data is collected on the tonnage of electrical products every producer sells within the UK and the tonnage of waste that they recycle appropriately to ensure they are meeting the requirements of the regulations. Defra is also updating the WEEE Regs to create a separate reporting category for vapes, so vape manufacturers pick up their fair share of recycling costs.

We have convened a Circular Economy Taskforce to help us develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Strategy will be supported by a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the government will make on a sector-by-sector basis, supporting government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower. We are considering the evidence for sector-specific interventions right across the economy, including in electronic waste, as we develop our Strategy.
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** Asked by Richard Holden, Conservative, Basildon and Billericay

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to extend the swap to stop scheme for smoking cessation; and whether he plans to allocate ring-fenced funding for a future extension of that scheme.

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

The Swap to Stop scheme provides local services with vape starter kits to support smokers to quit, alongside behavioural support. The Swap to Stop scheme was launched in November 2023, and has provided local services with vape starter kits to the value of £3.2 million in 2023/24 and £17 million in 2024/25. This funding is ringfenced and is supplementary to the additional £70 million of ringfenced funding for Local Stop Smoking Services, along with existing funding through the Public Health Grant.

The extension of the Swap to Stop scheme for the coming year, 2025/26, was recently announced, with up to £19 million of funding available. Future settlements for this programme are being considered as part of the Spending Review.
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** Asked by Richard Holden, Conservative, Basildon and Billericay

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding for local stop smoking services was allocated to swap to stop schemes in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024; and how much funding for local stop smoking services his Department plans to allocate to swap to stop schemes in (i) 2025 and (ii) 2026.

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

The Swap to Stop scheme provides local services with vape starter kits to support smokers to quit, alongside behavioural support. The Swap to Stop scheme was launched in November 2023, and has provided local services with vape starter kits to the value of £3.2 million in 2023/24 and £17 million in 2024/25. This funding is ringfenced and is supplementary to the additional £70 million of ringfenced funding for Local Stop Smoking Services, along with existing funding through the Public Health Grant.

The extension of the Swap to Stop scheme for the coming year, 2025/26, was recently announced, with up to £19 million of funding available. Future settlements for this programme are being considered as part of the Spending Review.
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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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