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** 11 June 2025
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** UK
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** Starmer appoints health innovation advocate as new health adviser (#1)
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** International
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** Economists in Australia urge freeze on tobacco tax to curb illicit market (#2)
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** RFK Jr.'s health push sidesteps tobacco (#3)
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** Snapchat under pressure over illegal vape sales to teenagers in the Netherlands (#4)
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** Comment piece: New Zealand unlikely to meet smokefree target in 2025 (#5)
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** NRT may be offered to teenagers in Guernsey to help quit vaping (#6)
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** Parliamentary questions
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** Written Questions (#7)
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** UK
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** Starmer appoints health innovation advocate as new health adviser

Axel Heitmueller, a former NHS executive and champion for data-driven innovation, has been appointed as the prime minister’s new health adviser. His background includes senior roles at NHS Test and Trace, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and the Imperial College Health Partners network. He has argued for a clearer NHS operating model, greater use of digital tools, and working more closely with industry.

Source: HSJ, 10 June 2025
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** International
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** Economists in Australia urge freeze on tobacco tax to curb illicit market

Economists argue that Australia's escalating tobacco excise taxes have surpassed their effectiveness in reducing smoking rates and instead have inadvertently fostered a black market for cigarettes. They suggest freezing or cutting excise rates while the illicit market it tackled. This comes after New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and Victoria’s government linked high cigarette prices to an escalating black market and a rise in arson attacks.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Health Minister Mark Butler rule out excise tax cuts, arguing that this would be ineffective at reducing illicit trade, and instead advocate for stronger enforcement. Public Health Association chief Terry Slevin warns policymakers to not be swayed by the tobacco industry.

Source: The Guardian, 11 June 2025

Editorial note: Lowering levels of tax are not known to reduce the size of the illicit tobacco market. The most effective way to reduce the illicit market is enforcement. The World Bank has provided a summary of the global evidence here:
[link removed] ([link removed])

See also: The Guardian - Chalmers says cheaper cigarettes will not solve illegal tobacco boom, dismissing NSW premier ([link removed])
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** RFK Jr.'s health push sidesteps tobacco

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health Secretary, has made healthy living a central theme of his public health campaign — but has avoided addressing smoking. Despite tobacco being the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., it received no mention in his recent “Make America Healthy Again” report. This omission, along with the sidelining of key FDA officials and regulatory plans targeting menthol and nicotine, has raised concerns among public health advocates and lawmakers. The tobacco industry’s financial support for Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, and his public pledge to protect vaping following a meeting with a director of the Vapor Technology Association, have added to concerns that regulatory momentum is being deliberately slowed. Critics argue that the administration’s lack of focus on tobacco could reverse decades of progress in reducing smoking rates.

Source: Politico, 10 June 2025
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** Snapchat under pressure over illegal vape sales to teenagers in the Netherlands

Dutch anti-smoking group Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd is threatening legal action against Snapchat for enabling the sale of illegal vapes to minors. Despite a ban on flavoured and high-nicotine vapes, these products remain easily accessible through the platform. The article highlights research showing one in five young people in the Netherlands vape, with the majority of this group also smoking traditional cigarettes.

Source: DutchNews, 10 June 2025
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** Comment piece: New Zealand unlikely to meet smokefree target in 2025

Writing for The Conversation, Professor in Public Health, Janet Hoek, and Senior Research Fellow, Jude Ball, from University of Otago raise concerns that New Zealand’s goal to reduce smoking rates below 5% by the end of 2025 is now improbable, particularly for Māori communities. The authors argue that recent government policy shifts—repealing key measures like the smokefree generation strategy, denicotinisation and limits on tobacco retail outlets—have undermined progress. They point out that current strategies focus more on health promotion than structural change, and without stronger action, the country will fall short of both its equity and public health objectives.

Source: The Conversation, 11 June 2025
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** NRT may be offered to teenagers in Guernsey to help quit vaping

Public Health plans to introduce new support services in schools to help young people quit vaping, including offering nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as patches in extreme cases. The approach will follow a three-tier system: self-help booklets (tier one), face-to-face behavioural support (tier two), and NRT (tier three). Children as young as 12 could receive NRT if deemed necessary and competent to consent.

Source: Guernsey Press, June 2025
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** Parliamentary activity
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** Written Questions
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** Asked by Lee Anderson, Reform UK, Ashfield
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54343 on Tobacco: Smuggling, how many and what proportion of those referrals resulted in a penalty; and what the average penalty was.

Answered by James Murray, Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury), Labour, Ealing North
Of the 312 referrals received by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) from local authority Trading Standards, 87 have so far progressed through casework to the issuing of a financial penalty for breaches of the Tobacco Track and Trace requirements. The average penalty charge to date has been £6,005.
The progression of the remaining, and future referrals are expected to result in additional penalty charges being issued.

Source: Hansard, 10 June 2025
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** Asked by Lee Anderson, Reform UK, Ashfield
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54343 on Tobacco: Smuggling, how many and what proportion of those referrals resulted in the revocation of the business's economic operator registration.

Answered by James Murray, Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury), Labour, Ealing North
The majority of referrals received so far have been in respect of businesses who do not hold an economic operator registration because they do not sell, or intend to sell, any legitimate tobacco products.
Under The Tobacco Products (Traceability and Security Features) Regulations 2019, a valid Economic Operator ID (EOID) holder who breaches the requirements on a second or subsequent occasion, may have their EOID registration revoked for either 6 months or 5 years. No referrals have met this criterion so far.

Source: Hansard, 10 June 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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