From Action on Smoking and Health <[email protected]>
Subject ASH Daily News for 22 October 2025
Date October 22, 2025 3:12 PM
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** 22 October 2025
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UK


** Doncaster man sees major health and financial boost after quitting smoking (#1)
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** Scotland smoking rates stall as concerns grow over cessation service funding (#3)
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** Illicit vape sellers use WhatsApp to avoid enforcement raids (#4)
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** Welsh minister calls on health workers to prioritise prevention (#5)
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International


** San Sebastian to ban smoking on beaches in push for cleaner coastline (#6)
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** Smoking on the rise in Western Australia after three decades of decline (#7)
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Parliamentary activity


** Written questions (#8)
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UK


** Doncaster man sees major health and financial boost after quitting smoking

A 62-year-old father from Doncaster has reported significant improvements to his health and finances after successfully giving up smoking during Stoptober. After smoking for over four decades, he credits personalised support from local NHS advisors and nicotine patches for helping him quit. Since quitting, he says he barely uses his inhaler, has regained energy, and is now able to enjoy active time with his grandchildren. With an estimated saving of around £450 per month, he now puts the money towards his family.

Source: Doncaster Free Press, 21 October 2025
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** Scotland smoking rates stall as concerns grow over cessation service funding

Recent data from the Scottish Health Survey 2024 reveals that smoking rates in Scotland have remained unchanged at 14%, the same as the year before. This has prompted renewed scrutiny over government support for NHS cessation services. Figures show a significant drop in funding between 2016/17 and 2021/22, from £9.11m to £7.852m. While the Scottish government maintains its commitment to a smoke-free target by 2034, ASH Scotland are urging greater clarity around investment in services such as Quit Your Way, particularly in deprived areas where smoking remains most prevalent. Despite a small rise in quit attempts, many health boards are still falling short of their cessation targets.

Source: Healthandcare.scot, 21 October 2025
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** Illicit vape and tobacco sellers use WhatsApp to avoid enforcement raids

Authorities in Hounslow have uncovered that some shop owners are using WhatsApp to alert each other about upcoming enforcement raids targeting the sale of illicit vapes and tobacco. Recent operations, carried out in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, led to the seizure of illicit vapes and cigarettes across a range of local businesses, including unexpected locations such as restaurants and barbers.

Source: BBC News, 21 October 2025
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** Welsh minister calls on health workers to prioritise prevention

Wales’ Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, has urged healthcare professionals to play a central role in preventing illness, rather than focusing solely on treatment. Speaking at a public health conference in Cardiff, she stressed that early intervention is key to improving long-term health and reducing pressures on the NHS. With obesity and smoking continuing to drive poor health outcomes in Wales, the government is introducing new policies, such as tighter rules on food promotions and expanded healthy eating standards in schools. Plans also include tackling health inequalities and launching targeted cancer screening in the coming years.

Source: Yahoo News UK, 22 October 2025
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International


** San Sebastian to ban smoking on beaches in push for cleaner coastline

The city of San Sebastian in Spain is preparing to introduce a smoking ban across its beaches in a move to reduce pollution and safeguard the local environment. The decision follows concerns over cigarette litter, which accounts for up to half of all waste collected on beaches in the surrounding Gipuzkoa region. A study from the Spanish research foundation AZTI found that a single cigarette can pollute between 500 to 1,000 litres of seawater. The local council says the planned ban is intended to protect the sand from contamination and reflects a growing public demand for cleaner, healthier public spaces. Supported by national legislation, the proposal also forms part of wider efforts to improve the environmental quality of beaches while promoting shared responsibility among residents and visitors.

Source: The Independent, 21 October 2025
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** Smoking on the rise in Western Australia after three decades of decline

Western Australia has recorded its first increase in smoking rates in 30 years, with the proportion of smokers rising from 10% in 2022/23 to 12%. The spike has prompted renewed calls for tighter regulations on the illicit tobacco trade. While the premier attributes the rise to population growth and overseas migration, the opposition have argued the government has failed to take necessary action. Health advocates are urging swift legislative changes, noting that other states have already implemented stricter controls.

Source: 9News, 21 October 2025
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Parliamentary activity


** Written Questions

Asked by Jack Rankin, Conservative, Windsor

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68895 on WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Conferences, what decision his Department has made on the Senior Civil Servant grades that will attend as part of the UK delegation to the World Health Organisation Eleventh Session of the Conference of Parties by (a) job title and (b) name.

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

Our position on vaping is clear, that it is less harmful than smoking and can be an effective tool to help adults to stop smoking, but that non-smokers and young people should never vape. The Government has regularly set out this position on vaping at the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and will continue do so at the upcoming conference.

Officials in the Department attended the European Region Pre-Cop meeting. These were informative sessions, and the United Kingdom did not make any interventions at these meetings. We have not yet confirmed the UK’s delegation with the World Health Organization. We are aiming to do so shortly.
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**
See also: Jack Rankin asked a number of similar questions, which were answered with the same response. You can read them here: Question 1 ([link removed]) , Question 2 ([link removed]) .
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** Asked by Jack Rankin, Conservative, Windsor

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's plans to introduce a prohibition on the advertising of vaping products and nicotine products, what other restrictions or alternatives to a blanket prohibition on advertising were assessed as options; and what comparative evidence was used in the decision to introduce a blanket prohibition.

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

Youth vaping has doubled in the past five years, and one in four 11 to 15-year-olds tried vaping in 2023. There has been a significant growth in the awareness of vaping promotion over recent years, with more than half of all children aged 11 to 17 years old, or 55%, being aware of promotion in shops, up from 37% in 2022.

Advertising of nicotine vapes is already restricted by United Kingdom regulations. This includes a ban on advertising on television and radio, and through internet advertising or commercial email. However, there are currently no restrictions on the advertising of non-nicotine vapes and other nicotine products such as pouches. There are also minimal restrictions on entering sponsorship agreements which promote these products, and we do not want children to be aware of these promotions which may make the products seem ‘cool’, for instance, if it appears on their favourite football team’s kit.

This is why the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately advertised and promoted to children. This will stop the next generation from being hooked on nicotine. However, the bill will not stop public health authorities from undertaking necessary and important public health messaging or campaigns on vaping and smoking cessation.

The Government has published a comprehensive impact assessment on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, including the proposed ban on advertising vaping and nicotine products. This assessment was reviewed in full by the Regulatory Policy Committee, which deemed it ‘fit for purpose’ in its published opinion on 5 November 2024. Paragraph 529 of the impact assessment details options that were previously considered but discounted. Our approach reflects evidence showing that comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising had a significant impact on reducing consumption, while partial bans had no significant effect. The World Health Organisation cites advertising bans as ‘one of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco consumption’ so they are also likely to be effective for vaping and nicotine products.

The Government will monitor the impact of this advertising and sponsorship ban following its implementation.
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** See also: Jack Rankin asked another similar question, which was answered with the same response. You can read this here ([link removed]) .
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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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