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** 26 November 2025
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UK


** EU members review Tobacco and Vapes Bill (#5)
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** Wiltshire Council highlights gains in drive to cut smoking and protect public health (#1)
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** Hundreds in Portsmouth seek support to quit smoking during Stoptober (#2)
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** Paul Corrigan warns next NHS chief must confront tough choices on funding and service scope (#3)
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** Rising gambling profits intensify pressure for tougher taxes in UK budget (#4)
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International


** COP summit stalls over approach to reducing tobacco harms (#6)
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Parliamentary activity


** New consultation: Implementing inserts in cigarette and hand rolling tobacco packs (#7)
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UK


** EU members review Tobacco and Vapes Bill

EU member states Slovakia, Romania and Greece have raised objections to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill [under the EU Technical Regulation Information System]. Slovakia’s complaint, which has been published online, claims that the smokefree generation policy would create obstacles in the EU internal market and restrict the free movement of goods, leading them to believe that it does not align with the Tobacco Products Directive. The UK will respond to the issues raised.

Source: Guido Fawkes, 25 November 2025

Editorial note: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is currently being reviewed under the EU Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS). This is due to the Bill applying in Northern Ireland which is still subject to some EU regulations as a result of the Windsor Framework. Due to the objections raised by Greece, Slovakia and Romania, the TRIS review process has been extended to 18th February 2026. The UK government has said that: “The Bill is not blocked, it’s not delayed, and we expect it to apply to the whole UK.”

Tobacco companies have a long history of using legal challenges to delay and block anti-smoking policies. The industry has stepped up it’s lobbying ([link removed]) of EU policymakers and some EU member states have been accused of ([link removed]) using their political influence to defend the interests of the industry. Both Greece and Romania have opposed the EU Commission’s attempts to strengthen the Tobacco Products Directive.
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** Wiltshire Council highlights gains in drive to cut smoking and protect public health

Wiltshire Council’s latest Director of Public Health Annual Report sets out progress towards creating a smokefree county, with particular attention on reducing inequalities and improving support for groups with higher smoking rates. The document outlines efforts to reach communities that have traditionally had less access to cessation services, including targeted coaching, workplace outreach and strengthened referral pathways during pregnancy through enhanced monitoring by health visitors.

The Wiltshire Health Improvement Hub supported 1,282 referrals to Stop Smoking Services, and Wiltshire’s Tobacco Control Alliance aims to reduce adult smoking rates to 5% or less by 2029.

Source: Wiltshire Times, 26 November 2025
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** Hundreds in Portsmouth seek support to quit smoking during Stoptober

Portsmouth’s Wellbeing Service reports that 300 local residents and workers committed to quitting smoking during this year’s Stoptober campaign. Marking its tenth anniversary, the service continues to provide free guidance, drop-ins and personalised support to help people adopt healthier lifestyles and to move the city towards its goal of becoming smoke-free by 2030.

Source: V2 Radio, 26 November 2025
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** Paul Corrigan warns next NHS chief must confront tough choices on funding and service scope

A senior government adviser and NHS England board member has cautioned that the next Chief Executive of the NHS must be frank about its place among competing public spending priorities. Paul Corrigan, who recently moved from advising the Health Secretary to a non-executive role at NHS England, suggested that sustained financial pressures will require difficult decisions about the scope of services the NHS can provide.

He also criticised aspects of NHS management culture, arguing that the organisation has become overly focused on administrative activity at the expense of frontline care, and that a clearer separation is needed between healthcare delivery and broader social policy. Corrigan’s intervention comes as NHS England prepares to appoint a successor to Sir Jim Mackey, who is due to depart next year.

Source: HSJ, 26 November 2025
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** Rising gambling profits intensify pressure for tougher taxes in UK budget

New figures show that betting companies made £12.6 billion in profits in the year to March, a 9.3% rise on last year, largely driven by rapid growth in online casino revenues. The surge has strengthened calls from politicians and campaigners for increased taxation on the most addictive forms of gambling, particularly those disproportionately used in deprived communities.

Source: The Guardian, 25 November 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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International


** COP summit stalls over approach to reducing tobacco harms

The WHO Convention on Tobacco Control meeting in Geneva ended with key decisions deferred after countries remained split over whether discussions on reducing harm from nicotine alternatives should be led by a group of States Parties or an expert group. Concerns were raised that States Parties may be influenced by industry interests. The impasse also delayed progress on updating rules for product contents and health warnings.

Despite this, delegations agreed on several other measures, including steps related to future tobacco controls and environmental protection. Hazel Cheeseman of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) highlighted the constructive role played by the UK, the EU and regional partners in advancing “new measures, such as forward-looking measures, environmental protection, and mobilisation of national resources.” Meanwhile, a separate tobacco industry-aligned event held alongside the summit titled ‘Good COP 2.0’, funded by the Taxpayers Alliance (TPA), challenged the legitimacy of the official process, drawing criticism from researchers at the Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath, who warned of TPA’s links to the tobacco industry.

Source: Contexte, 24 November 2025

See also: Tobacco Tactics- The Taxpayers Alliance ([link removed])
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Parliamentary activity


** New consultation: Implementing inserts in cigarette and hand rolling tobacco packs

The government has launched a technical consultation seeking views on how to implement pack inserts in cigarette and hand rolling tobacco packaging. In November 2024 the government announced that it would mandate pack inserts in cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco packaging. This consultation seeks views on the detailed proposals of how to implement this.

The government wants to hear from individuals and organisations with relevant experience, such as manufacturers of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco packaging, and public health experts.

The consultation closes on 11:59pm on 20 January 2026.
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For more information email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or visit www.ash.org.uk
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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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