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** 1 May 2026
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** UK
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** Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty hails ‘historic’ Tobacco and Vapes Act (#1)
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** UK introduces legislation which will phase out the sale of tobacco (#2)
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** Mother collapses after suspected illegal vape incident (#3)
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** South Yorkshire welcomes the Tobacco and Vapes Act (#4)
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** Trading Standards ready for enforcement of Tobacco and Vapes Act (#5)
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** Local public health leaders in Cheshire back the Tobacco and Vapes Act (#7)
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** ASH Wales urges political commitment to deliver smoke-free future (#8)
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** Campaigners and health leaders in the North East welcome the Tobacco and Vapes Act (#9)
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** Opinion: Preparing for vaping licences - lessons from alcohol licensing (#10)
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** International
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** Study suggests peer networks hold key to reducing smoking among school pupils (#11)
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Links of the week


** The King’s Fund blog : The Tobacco and Vapes Act – a landmark win for public health (#12)
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** Cancer Research UK blog – Tackling smoking isn’t an affront to personal freedom – it’s a defence against deadly addiction (#13)
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** ASH – Frequently Asked Questions on the Tobacco and Vapes Act (#14)
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** Cancer Research UK - Busting the myths around the Tobacco and Vapes Act (#15)
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** UK
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** Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty hails ‘historic’ Tobacco and Vapes Act

Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty has highlighted the Tobacco and Vapes Act receiving royal assent on social media. He stressed the importance of the new legislation and pointed to a wide range of harms associated with tobacco use, including increased risks during pregnancy and higher chances of serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, COPD and cancer. He also raised that the law will address vaping products being promoted to younger audiences.

Whitty noted that vaping can play a role in helping existing smokers quit, but that it should not be taken up by those who have never smoked. He also emphasised the impact of second-hand smoke, particularly on children and vulnerable people, and highlighted the link between smoking and poorer health outcomes in more deprived communities. He highlighted newly released YouGov polling that shows 64% of the population support smoking being banned either entirely or gradually phased out.

Claire Fuller, NHS England National Medical Director, described the changes as an important step in tackling one of the country’s most persistent health challenges. She said health services will continue expanding support for people trying to stop smoking, working alongside local authorities to reduce tobacco-related illness and improve long-term public health outcomes.

Source: Daily Mirror, 30 April 2026
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** UK introduces legislation which will phase out the sale of tobacco

The Tobacco and Vapes Act has received royal assent in the UK, which will phase out smoking for future generations. Anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never legally be sold tobacco products, and the age of sale will increase by one year every year.

Alongside the new rules, increased funding will be provided for stop-smoking services to support the 5.3 million people who currently smoke in the UK. Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, Michell Mitchell, stated that the legislation is a “historic achievement” that will protect children from tobacco addiction.

Source: Daily Mirror, 30 April 2026
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** Mother collapses after suspected illegal vape incident

A woman from Weston-super-Mare has described how she collapsed shortly after trying a vape product offered by a shopkeeper. Within minutes, she became unresponsive and required assistance.

Earlier in April, Avon and Somerset Police had already taken action against the shop involved, shutting it down temporarily following an investigation that uncovered the sale of illicit tobacco and vaping products.

The government pointed to new measures contained in the Tobacco and Vapes Act which will create a new licensing scheme for the sale of tobacco and vapes, and new powers to issue on the spot fines.

Source: LBC, 30 April 2026
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** South Yorkshire welcomes the Tobacco and Vapes Act

The South Yorkshire Tobacco Alliance has expressed support for the creation of a smokefree generation after the Tobacco and Vapes Act received royal assent this week.

YouGov data shows strong support across Yorkshire and the Humber, with 75% supporting a smokefree generation.

Sarah Hepworth, Associate Director of South Yorkshire Tobacco Alliance, says the changes will help protect millions of young people from starting smoking. She points to the 2007 indoor smokefree laws that helped motivated smokers to quit, and says this new legislation provides the chance to do this again. The South Yorkshire Tobacco Alliance stress that success will depend on sustained investment in cessation services, public health campaigns, and a wider national plan to reduce smoking rates.

Source: Doncaster Free Press, 30 April 2026
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** Trading Standards ready for enforcement of Tobacco and Vapes Act

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) have welcomed royal assent of the Tobacco and Vapes Act, describing it as a significant milestone for public health policy. CTSI highlighted its work alongside the Department of Health throughout the drafting process of the legislation to ensure “workable and effective” enforcement measures. CTSI is also a member of the Smokefree Action Coalition and has worked with organisations supporting this legislation, ensuring an enforcement body’s voice has been heard throughout.

CTSI have emphasised that success will depend on sufficient funding, staffing and training, and therefore have welcomed the £10m government investment to Trading Standards bodies across England.

John Herriman, Chief Executive of CTSI, explained that CTSI support the legislation, and the government funding will ensure that Trading Standards is ready to enforce the new laws. He stated that CTSI will continue to work with the Smokefree Action Coalition to ensure secondary legislation is practical and “delivers on the promise” of this landmark moment.

Kate Pike, CTSI lead for tobacco and vapes, stated that CTSI have a long history of enforcing tobacco control legislation, and are proud to protect communities from tobacco products.

Source: Talking Retail, 30 April 2026
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** Local public health leaders in Cheshire back the Tobacco and Vapes Act

Health officials in Cheshire and Merseyside have expressed strong support for new the smokefree generation policy in the Tobacco and Vapes Act. Dr Sarah McNulty, lead director of public health for Cheshire and Merseyside’s All Together Smokefree programme, stated that this is a historic moment that will break the cycle of tobacco addiction.

Professor Ian Ashworth, director of population health for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, highlighted the unique harms of tobacco and points to existing progress in reducing prevalence locally, while suggesting the new rules will help accelerate efforts towards a smoke-free future.

Source: Crewe Nub News, 30 April 2026
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** ASH Wales urges political commitment to deliver smoke-free future

ASH Wales has called on political parties to set out clear plans to achieve a smoke-free population ahead of the Senedd elections, following royal assent of the Tobacco and Vapes Act.

While supporting the direction of the new law, the charity stressed that significant challenges remain, with around ten people dying each day from smoking in Wales. ASH Wales Chief Executive Suzanne Cass stressed that the legislation will protect future generations, but not the 260,000 people in Wales who currently smoke. She called for strong enforcement for the legislation and investment in cessation services.

With the upcoming Senedd election in view, ASH Wales has urged political candidates to make firm commitments on further tobacco control measures. It sees the election period as an opportunity to accelerate progress towards reducing smoking prevalence and improving public health outcomes across Wales.

Source: South Wales Argus, 30 April 2026
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** Campaigners and health leaders in the North East welcome the Tobacco and Vapes Act

Health advocates, clinicians and public figures in the North East have welcomed the Tobacco and Vapes Act receiving royal assent. Dr Ruth Sharrock, a respiratory consultant at the Gateshead Health NHS trust stated that nobody wants their children to suffer from smoking-related illness and this legislation will protect them from tobacco addiction.

Ailsa Rutter, director of Fresh and Balance, stated that the North East has seen the biggest reduction in smoking over the last 20 years in England, and that public support is strong across the North East for the smokefree generation policy.

Source: ChronicleLive, 30 April 2026
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** Opinion: Preparing for vaping licences - lessons from alcohol licensing

Graeme Cushion, managing partner at Poppleston Allen, a company of licensing solicitors who focus on alcohol and premise licensing, writing in Talking Retail discusses the new vaping licensing scheme contained in the Tobacco and Vapes Act. Cushion states that he believes the introduction of a formal licensing system for vaping products may mirror aspects of the framework used for alcohol licensing. Drawing on experience from the introduction of the new alcohol licensing scheme in 2005, Cushion advises operators to avoid delaying applications, as last-minute submissions previously created administrative pressure. Early preparation is seen as essential to ensure compliance.

Cushion states that in the first years of the new alcohol licensing, local authorities visited many premises to ensure compliance and states he expects the same for vape licensing. He advises that staff need to be aware of the changes and trained accordingly. Cushion concludes by reiterating that detailed regulations are yet to be published.

Source: Talking Retail, 30th April 2026
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** International
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** Study suggests peer networks hold key to reducing smoking among school pupils

Research from Wayne State University in Michigan and the University of California into behaviour of young people in schools has suggested that smoking reduction efforts may be most effective when focused on a small number of pupils within school social groups. The study claims that engaging a relatively small proportion of “highly connected” students could lead to wider behavioural change through peer influence.

The study used models and simulated the impact of getting the “most popular” 10% of “heavy smokers” in a school to stop, and found that a year later the proportion of their friends who smoked was 42.8 percentage points lower.

Source: The Times, 30 April 2026

See also: Cheng Wang et al. Peer influence decay and behavioral diffusion in adolescent networks: A simulation approach.Science392,506-511(2026).DOI:10.1126/science.aea9297 ([link removed])
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Read Here ([link removed])


** Links of the week
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** The King’s Fund blog : The Tobacco and Vapes Act – a landmark win for public health

In this blog, Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of the King’s Fund, discusses the enormous impact that the Tobacco and Vapes Act will have on public health, and the strong public support for the policy. She also highlights that the job is not done, and more needs to be done to support people who currently smoke in the UK.
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Read Here ([link removed])


** Cancer Research UK blog – Tackling smoking isn’t an affront to personal freedom – it’s a defence against deadly addiction

In this blog, Ian Walker, Executive Director for Policy, Information and Communications at CRUK, discusses the importance of the Tobacco and Vapes Act in protecting future generations from addiction. He highlights that there is no choice in tobacco addiction, and the legislation will give future generations the freedom to grow up without the devastating effects of smoking.
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Read Here ([link removed])


** ASH – Frequently Asked Questions on the Tobacco and Vapes Act

This webpage provides responses to frequently asked questions on the smokefree generation policy contained in the Tobacco and Vapes Act.
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Read Here ([link removed])


** Cancer Research UK - Busting the myths around the Tobacco and Vapes Act

In this webpage, Cancer Research UK dispel some common myths about the Tobacco and Vapes Act and answers some of the biggest questions about the legislation.
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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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