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** 7 January 2026
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UK


** ASH CEO encourages retailers to embrace the transition to the smokefree generation in an open letter (#1)
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** Smoking prevalence in Reading reaches new low (#2)
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** Schools say vaping among pupils is stretching resources (#3)
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** NHS England urges ICBs to improve partnership working (#4)
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** International
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** Nicotine pouches and the myth of sharper performance (#5)
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** Parliamentary activity
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** Letter from Baroness Merron to peers in the House of Lords regarding the Windsor Framework (#6)
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UK


** ASH CEO encourages retailers to embrace the transition to the smokefree generation in an open letter

Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, has written to retailers across the UK ahead of the introduction of the smokefree generation policy, which will come into force in January 2027. The letter outlines how the policy is straightforward for retailers, requiring ID checks against only one date of birth, and highlights ASH data that shows that 51% of retailers already back the policy, compared to 26% opposed.

The letter also points to the declining profitability of tobacco for convenience stores, with ASH modelling showing average tobacco margins of 8.5%, which is much lower than other categories. Cheeseman highlights the policy and declining tobacco use as both a public health milestone and a commercial opportunity, making more room on the shelf for more profitable products. Cheeseman encourages businesses to plan ahead, make use of official guidance and view the transition as beneficial for their communities and the long-term sustainability of retail.

Source: Talking Retail, 6 January 2026

See also: ASH CEO Hazel Cheeseman’s open letter to retailers ([link removed]) | Retail Gazette - ASH urges retailers to prepare for Smokefree Generation Law ([link removed]) | Convenience Store - ASH chief executive writes to retailers about upcoming “historic shift in public health” ([link removed]) | Better Retailing - ASH urges retailers to prepare for smoke-free generation law ([link removed]) | Wholesale Manager- ‘A Historic Shift in Public Health’ – ASH Chief Executive writes to retailers as the smokefree generation law moves closer
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** Smoking prevalence in Reading reaches new low

Smoking rates in Reading have reduced to under 10% for the first time. New data shows a year-on-year decline, falling from 11% in 2023, reflecting Reading’s lowest level since records began more than a decade ago.

The improvement follows significant national funding that has allowed the council to expand and diversify stop-smoking support, from longer adviser availability and targeted programmes to alternative quitting methods.

While progress has been made across Reading, smoking remains higher among people in routine and manual jobs (22.1%), prompting a new campaign from Reading Borough Council focused on healthier break-time habits.

Source: Reading Chronicle, 7 January 2026
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** Schools say vaping among pupils is stretching resources

A BBC-Commissioned survey, conducted by the Teacher Tapp app, has found that secondary schools across England say vaping among pupils is placing strain on staff time and budgets, with many feeling they are tackling the issue largely on their own. The survey found that nearly one in five teachers who responded stated that vape detectors have been installed on school premises, and 35% say extra staff are monitoring school grounds to prevent vaping.

The survey suggests vaping remains a concern in 52% of secondary schools; this figure is down from 74% in June 2024. The Department of Education responded that new measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will prevent vapes from being marketed to children.

Source: BBC News, 7 January 2026
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** NHS England urges ICBs to improve partnership working

Nine integrated care boards have been advised by NHS England to strengthen collaboration with local partners, including councils, schools and other health organisations, following the 2024-25 performance assessments. While some ICBs received praise for leadership, several were criticised for limited engagement beyond the NHS or insufficient support for local health strategies.

The guidance comes amid uncertainty over ICBs’ evolving role, as their responsibilities shift toward strategic commissioning and away from oversight of secondary care providers. Despite these structural changes, NHS England emphasises that effective partnership working remains essential for integrated care, social development and public health outcomes. Updated assessment guidance for 2025-26 is expected soon.

Source: Health Service Journal, 6 January 2026
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** International
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** Nicotine pouches and the myth of sharper performance

Following reports that workplaces in the US have offered nicotine pouches to employees, and the promotion of nicotine pouches as tools to improve focus, this article in Psychology Today examines whether nicotine pouches can enhance productivity. Mark S Gold M.D., researcher, professor and chairman of psychiatry at Yale, the University of Florida and Washington University, explains that while nicotine can briefly increase alertness, these effects are short-lived and come with a significant risk of nicotine addiction.

The article traces how nicotine has been used by institutions, from factories to the military, to sustain productivity, arguing that today’s workplace use of pouches mirrors earlier attitudes towards cigarettes. Gold states that although nicotine pouches are likely less harmful than cigarettes and may help some smokers reduce or quit, they still deliver addictive doses of nicotine. The article concludes that evidence for lasting performance benefits is limited, and that the rising use of pouches among young people and non-smokers raises public health concerns.

Source: Psychology Today, 5 January 2026

See also: Daily Mail – The potentially deadly strategy companies are using to get employees to work even harder ([link removed])
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** Parliamentary activity
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** Letter from Baroness Merron to peers in the House of Lords regarding the Windsor Framework

Baroness Merron has written a letter to peers in response to questions about the compatibility of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill with the Windsor Framework in the Bill’s Committee Stage. Baroness Merron has reinforced the Government’s position that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will apply in Northern Ireland and reminds peers that the Northern Ireland Assembly has granted legislative consent for the Bill.
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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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