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** 7 May 2025
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** UK
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** Government under fire for rushing NHS management cuts without impact review (#1)
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** Ban on disposable vapes set to take effect across the UK in June (#2)
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** Increase in vape-related fires prompts safety warnings and policy shift (#3)
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** Sandwell shops face sanctions after major illegal goods crackdown (#4)
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** Council commits £3.9 million to city-wide stop smoking drive (#5)
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** UK
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** Government under fire for rushing NHS management cuts without impact review

The UK government is facing criticism after admitting it did not evaluate the consequences of a sweeping plan to halve the operational budgets of England’s integrated care boards, resulting in around 12,500 managerial job losses. Intended as part of a wider financial overhaul of the NHS, the cuts aim to reallocate resources to frontline services. However, the absence of an impact assessment has sparked concerns from health leaders, unions and former ministers, who argue that the rapid downsizing jeopardises service quality, undermines strategic oversight, and threatens long-term healthcare reforms. The move has also prompted warnings about diminished management capacity, lower staff morale, and disruption to NHS improvement efforts. Critics are calling for a pause in the reforms to allow for more thoughtful planning and risk mitigation.

Source: The Guardian, 6 May 2025
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** Ban on disposable vapes set to take effect across the UK in June

The UK government is implementing a nationwide ban on the sale and distribution of single-use vapes from 1 June 2025. The decision is driven by growing concerns about the environmental damage caused by discarded vapes and the appeal such products hold for younger users due to their bright designs and sweet flavours. Retailers and suppliers will no longer be allowed to sell, supply or stock these items, whether in-store or online. Only vapes that can be both refilled and recharged, and allow for coil replacement, will remain legal. Businesses holding leftover stock must remove it from sale and arrange for proper disposal.

Source: The Standard, 6 May 2025
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** Increase in vape-related fires prompts safety warnings and policy shift

Recent data from freedom of information requests (FOIs) show a rise in fires caused by vapes across the UK, with incidents more than quadrupling since 2020. The surge, linked largely to unsafe charging practices and the improper disposal of devices containing lithium-ion batteries, is prompting concern among fire safety officials. Many of the fires are attributed to devices discarded in household waste or damaged during use.

The volatile nature of vape batteries, which can ignite when mishandled or exposed to pressure, has made them a growing hazard not just in homes but also in waste processing systems. In response, the UK government will introduce a ban on disposable vapes starting on 1 June 2025 to curb both fire risks and environmental harm. Fire services are urging the public to use and charge e-cigarettes correctly, avoid leaving them unattended, and dispose of them responsibly at recycling points.

Source: Daily Express, 6 May 2025
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** Sandwell shops face sanctions after major illegal goods crackdown

Sandwell Council has warned local retailers following the seizure of illicit tobacco and unauthorised vaping products worth over £760,000 during the past year. Enforcement teams, working alongside police and public health officials, removed hundreds of thousands of illegal cigarettes, oversized vapes, and unregulated tobacco-based products from shops across the borough.

Nearly half of the premises tested in undercover operations also sold age-restricted goods to underage volunteers. In response, the council has pledged to take robust action, including prosecuting offenders and reviewing trading licences. Additionally, a new stop smoking service has been launched to support residents looking to quit.

Source: Express & Star, 6 May 2025
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** Council commits £3.9 million to city-wide stop smoking drive

Stoke-on-Trent City Council plans to significantly expand its smoking cessation support, aiming to help 22,000 residents aged 11 and over quit tobacco by 2030. The initiative, which will replace the current targeted service focused on high-risk groups, will be broadened to offer universal access. To reach national smokefree targets, the city needs to increase its annual quit rate more than fivefold.

The enhanced programme will provide a full suite of stop-smoking aids, including pharmacological support and digital tools. Funding of nearly £600,000 per year will be committed, with backing from central government, and a new service provider is set to be appointed from October 2025. Councillors believe the initiative will improve public health, reduce inequality, and lessen the burden of smoking-related disease on local families.

Source: Stoke Sentinel, 7 May 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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