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** 07 August 2020
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** UK
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** Smokers with poor mental health more likely to have quit during the coronavirus pandemic (#1)
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** International
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** South Africa: British American Tobacco faces SA Government in court over cigarette ban (#2)
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** Link of the Week
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** Today is the Day campaign ‘thunderclap’ (#3)
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** UK
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** People with existing mental health problems appear to have been more successful at quitting smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic than other smokers, according to the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). New findings from the YouGov COVID-19 Tracker show that 10% of ex-smokers with a mental health problem stopped smoking during the pandemic compared with just 7% of ex-smokers without a mental health problem.
The survey of 2,785 ex-smokers was carried out between 15 April and 6 July 2020. Another survey of 783 smokers carried out during the same period, found smokers with a mental health condition were more likely to report they had started using an e-cigarette – 14% compared with 8% of those with no mental health problems. This is likely to improve their chances of quitting long term.
The Mental Health and Smoking Partnership – a coalition of organisations working to reduce rates of smoking among people with mental health problems – is backing a campaign to get more smokers to quit. The Today is the Day campaign, led by ASH, encourages smokers to quit immediately.
Chair of the Partnership, Professor Ann McNeill from King’s College London backed the campaign, saying: “There are so many physical health benefits to quitting smoking that the impact on mental health is often overlooked. It is great news that smokers with mental health problems are successfully quitting in greater numbers, but we must do more to reach those who have not yet quit. To ignore them is to miss the chance not only to improve their physical health but to help address the increase we’re seeing in poor mental health.”
Dr Nick Hopkinson, respiratory physician and chair of ASH, said: “We estimate that a million smokers in the UK have quit since the COVID-19 crisis hit, but we need to make sure no smokers are left behind. Health professionals who are seeing people who have mental health problems should make sure that they have the help they need to quit smoking as a way to improve their mental as well as their physical health.”
Source: Onmedica, 03 August 2020 (Paywall)
See also: ASH Press Release - Supporting smokers to quit can help tackle surge in poor mental health ([link removed] )
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Read Article ([link removed])
** International
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** British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) went to court on Wednesday (5 August) for the first day of hearings in a case against a government-imposed ban on tobacco sales to limit the spread of coronavirus.
South Africans have been unable to legally purchase cigarettes since the country went into a strict nationwide lockdown on 27 March 2020. While lockdown measures are being gradually lifted, tobacco products have remained banned due to health risks associated with smoking.
Government representative Andrew Breitenbach argued the case was about “lives and livelihoods” and said the minister responsible had “taken steps” to allow trade between tobacco producers and cigarette manufacturers. He added: “The ban deals with prohibiting sales, so infringements on rights are just incidental.”
Source: Morning Star, 5 August 2020
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Read Article ([link removed] )
** Link of the Week
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** To help mark the last day of Today is the Day campaign, ASH is asking partners to tweet the Can you be 1 in a million graphic at 11am on Tuesday, 11 August 2020. Please get involved and share the campaign message.
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** Download the Can you be 1 million graphic here:
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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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