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** 8 August 2025
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UK


** Health campaigners call for ban on industry-backed school materials (#1)
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** Alan Milburn outlines vision of NHS as mixed-provider system (#2)
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** Survey finds most UK vapers now use reusables (#3)
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Links of the week


** LRB blog: Compensatory Puffing (#4)
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** CRUK Blog: 10 Year Health Plan: what does it mean for cancer and the National Cancer Plan? (#5)
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UK


** Health campaigners call for ban on industry-backed school materials

Public health organisations, medical experts and charities have urged the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to prohibit schools from using lesson resources funded by companies in the alcohol, gambling and processed food sectors. They argue such materials distort scientific evidence, downplay health risks and serve to familiarise young people with harmful products. Examples cited include alcohol education programmes omitting key cancer risks, gambling resources promoting the idea of “responsible gambling” while introducing betting practices, and branded coffee outlets selling sugary items on school grounds. The campaigners point to Ireland’s ban on industry-sponsored resources as a model for the UK. The Department for Education says schools must ensure external materials are impartial.

Source: The Guardian, 7 August 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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** Alan Milburn outlines vision of NHS as mixed-provider system

Government health adviser and former health secretary Alan Milburn has said the 10-year health plan will move England away from seeing healthcare as solely the NHS, instead framing it as a mix of public and private providers. Milburn argued the Department of Health and Social Care should coordinate this network rather than directly run services, criticising the current centralised approach as inefficient. Milburn supported the decision to scrap NHS England, saying urgent reform is needed, with early priorities including improving access and reducing waiting times, and longer-term goals focusing on digital, genomic and workforce development. He also warned that integrated care boards lack sufficient analytical capacity and will need time to build capability.

Source: Health Service Journal, 7 August 2025
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** Survey finds most UK vapers now use reusables

A July 2025 survey by Opinium for ELFBAR, involving 6,000 UK vapers and smokers, found that 85% of regular users now have reusable devices following the single-use vape ban. Key reasons for switching included similar price (33%), design (31%), ease of use (30%), quality (30%) and sustainability (26%). A quarter of all vapers admitted knowingly purchasing illicit products, and 22% were aware of illegal vapes sold locally. Recycling awareness was high at 77%, though 18% still disposed of products in household bins, and 52% wanted more collection points.

Source: Grocery Trader, 7 August 2025

Editorial note: This article uses the same survey covered in yesterday’s ASH Daily News and is being included again to give a more detailed breakdown of the statistics, survey provider and sample size.
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Links of the week


** LRB blog: Compensatory Puffing

Writing for the London Review of Books, ASH Chair Nicholas Hopkinson dismantles the myth that cigarette filters reduce harm. Hopkinson highlights that as talks on an international plastic pollution treaty continue, attention should be drawn to cigarette filters, which are a major source of environmental contamination. Made from plastic fibres, they break down into microplastics and release toxic substances that damage ecosystems. Hopkinson explains that despite widespread belief, filters do not reduce the health risks of smoking and may encourage deeper inhalation of harmful chemicals. The clean-up efforts, a form of greenwashing from the tobacco industry, are highlighted as ineffective, because recycling is impossible due to toxicity. Following the example of Santa Cruz’s ban on filtered cigarettes, Hokinson urges that global measures are critically needed to eliminate this harmful form of single-use plastic.

Source: London Review of Books, 5 August 2025
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** CRUK Blog: 10 Year Health Plan: what does it mean for cancer and the National Cancer Plan?

Matt Sample, Health Policy Manager at CRUK, has explained that the government’s 10-year health strategy outlines shifts towards prevention, digital innovation and community-based services, with measures to curb smoking, restrict unhealthy food marketing and expand obesity interventions. Sample highlights that while some steps could reduce cancer risk, the plan omits clear commitments on earlier cancer diagnosis and restoring cancer waiting time targets, despite ongoing underperformance. Proposals for neighbourhood health centres, lung screening and improved digital tools hold potential, but lack firm timelines and risk excluding those with limited access to technology. Sample urges that the forthcoming National Cancer Plan will need to address these gaps, safeguard local cancer delivery structures, and set ambitious targets to improve survival and meet the government’s pledge to cut cancer deaths.

Source: Cancer Research UK, 7 August 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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