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** 14 July 2025
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** UK
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** Professor Sir Stephen Powis discusses cancer care and smoking cessation (#1)
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** IVF access rules in Merseyside and Cheshire set for tighter restrictions (#2)
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** Spike in dog poisonings linked to discarded nicotine pouches (#3)
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** International
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** EU eyes new levies on tobacco and big business to fund future budget (#4)
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** France’s bold smoking ban faces cultural resistance (#5)
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** UK
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** Professor Sir Stephen Powis discusses cancer care and smoking cessation
In an interview in The Times, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s outgoing medical director discusses how the fight against cancer is entering a transformative phase, with medical advances turning many forms of the disease into treatable or even curable conditions. Powis highlights the growing role of personalised treatments such as immunotherapy and genetic testing, which are improving survival rates and changing how cancer is managed within the health service.
A key part of this progress, Powis stresses, is the importance of prevention—particularly smoking cessation. He points to tobacco control as one of the most effective tools in reducing cancer rates, with policies such as the generational smoking ban expected to make future cases of lung cancer far less common. Smoking-related cancers remain among the most lethal, making efforts to cut tobacco use central to the NHS’s long-term strategy.
Powis also reflects on his four decades in medicine, noting the shift toward more personalised and equitable healthcare. As cancer care continues to evolve, he argues that reducing preventable risks—especially smoking—must go hand in hand with investment in cutting-edge treatments to ensure lasting improvements in outcomes.
Source: The Times, 13 July 2025
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** IVF access rules in Merseyside and Cheshire set for tighter restrictions
Health authorities in Merseyside and Cheshire are proposing stricter criteria for access to NHS-funded IVF treatment, aiming to create a more consistent policy across the region. Under the new rules, male partners would also need to quit smoking or vaping, aligning requirements with those already placed on women. Additional adjustments include standardising the number of IVF rounds available and revising eligibility based on age.
Source: BBC News, 12 July 2025
See also: ASH - Vaping before, during and after pregnancy ([link removed])
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** Spike in dog poisonings linked to discarded nicotine pouches
Veterinarians in the UK have reported a sharp rise in cases of dogs being poisoned after accidentally ingesting discarded nicotine pouches. The Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) received 43 emergency enquiries related to such incidents in the first half of 2025, compared to 29 cases in all of 2024. The littering of these pouches poses a significant risk due to the presence of xylitol, a sweetener highly toxic to dogs that can cause seizures. The VPIS is urging manufacturers to clearly display xylitol content on product packaging and websites to raise awareness and help prevent further poisonings.
Source: The Grocer, 10 July 2025
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Read Here ([link removed])
** International
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** EU eyes new levies on tobacco and big business to fund future budget
The European Commission is proposing a series of new taxes to support the EU’s upcoming multi-year budget and cover repayments on pandemic-related borrowing. Measures under consideration include levies on tobacco, major corporations, electronics waste, and carbon emissions. With member states facing fiscal pressure, the Commission aims to diversify revenue sources beyond traditional contributions linked to gross national income.
However, any new income streams will require unanimous backing from all EU governments. Previous similar proposals have stalled, but officials see the upcoming budget cycle as a pivotal moment to advance reform.
Source: Euractiv, 12 July 2025
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** France’s bold smoking ban faces cultural resistance
France has introduced a sweeping new ban on smoking in various outdoor public spaces, including beaches, parks, and areas near schools, as part of President Macron’s drive to create a tobacco-free generation by 2032. However, widespread cultural attachment to smoking and a historic scepticism towards authority have hampered enforcement. Despite clear rules, confusion persists among both the public and police, with many flouting the restrictions or shifting to nearby areas to smoke. While some campaigners see the policy as a necessary first step, critics — including local mayors — argue it is impractical and overly centralised. Early signs suggest the ban has had little effect on smoking habits or tobacco sales.
Source: The Sunday Times, 12 July 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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