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** 28 August 2026
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** UK
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** JTI carry out test purchasing in Bristol (#1)
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** International
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** New Zealand: Labour party would reintroduce the smokefree generation policy if elected to government (#2)
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** Republic of Ireland: Festival Electric Picnic restricts cigarette and vapes sales, as it partners with nicotine pouch brand Velo (#3)
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** Links of the week
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** The King’s Fund - Have we kicked the habit? The rise of youth vaping and the next phase of tobacco control (#4)
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** Cochrane review concludes that nicotine vapes are more effective for quitting smoking than other methods (#5)
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** UK
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** JTI carry out test purchasing in Bristol
Test purchasing commissioned by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) found that 34% of independent retailers tested sold illicit tobacco. The findings claim that seven stores that were tested directed undercover officers off-site to obtain illicit tobacco.
Communications manager at JTI, Dale Stacey, stated that JTI are calling for stronger enforcement including tougher penalties and “more effective enforcement mechanisms”.
A former detective in the Metropolitan Police, David Johnston, said this test purchasing indicated a “shift” in tactics because it found illicit products being kept outside of shop’s premises to help evade law enforcement, along with illicit products being sold at higher price points.
Source: Better Retailing, 27 August 2026
Editorial note: The article does not specify how many retailers were tested or how they were selected. Tobacco companies have a long track record of exploiting the illicit tobacco trade to further their lobbying efforts. This includes presenting themselves as partners in tackling the illicit trade in order to gain access to policymakers and rehabilitate their public image. JTI’s ‘It costs more than you think’ illicit tobacco campaign is a good example of this, providing a website that urges MPs to meet with the company and a template letter that members of the public can send to their MP expressing concern. See Illicit tobacco: facts, trends and industry tactics for more information. ([link removed])
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Read Here ([link removed])
** International
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** New Zealand: Labour party would reintroduce the smokefree generation policy if elected to government
New Zealand’s Labour Party says it would reintroduce its smokefree generation policy if elected to government. The party also announced that they would introduce a licensing scheme for tobacco and vaping products.
Speaking at a panel on health and harm prevention in the New Zealand Parliament, Labour’s health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall also announced that Labour would reverse the current New Zealand government’s heated tobacco policy that introduced a 50% reduction in excise tax for heated tobacco.
The smokefree generation policy was announced previously in New Zealand by the former Labour government but was repealed in 2024 by the current government. The previous policy was set to apply to those born on or after 1st January 2009, but Labour stated the birthdate after which people could purchase tobacco would now change.
The Green party and Te Pāti Māori support bringing the policy back.
Source: RNZ, 28 August 2026
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Read Here ([link removed])
** Republic of Ireland: Festival Electric Picnic restricts cigarette and vapes sales, as it partners with nicotine pouch brand Velo
This year’s Electric Picnic festival in County Laois will not have cigarettes or vaping products available for purchase, extending previous restrictions on disposable vapes. The festival’s website states that “there are no nicotine inhaling products (vapes and cigarettes)” being sold at the festival.
In 2025, nicotine pouch brand Velo became an official festival partner of Electric Picnic and still remains listed as a partner on the festival’s website. The festival have been contacted to clarify if the ban on cigarette and vape sales will also include nicotine pouches.
Source: The Journal, 27 August 2026
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Read Here ([link removed])
** Links of the week
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** The King’s Fund - Have we kicked the habit? The rise of youth vaping and the next phase of tobacco control
In this King’s Fund blog, Data Analyst Intern Shayna Asamoah discusses the rise in youth vaping, and what this can tell us about the next phase of tobacco control. She highlights that whilst vapes should not be used by young people, they are an important smoking cessation tool for adult smokers.
She discusses the balance that needs to be struck in measures to address youth vaping, to ensure that vapes remaining available to adult smokers who want to quit, whilst making them less appealing to children.
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Read Here ([link removed])
** Cochrane review concludes that nicotine vapes are more effective for quitting smoking than other methods
A Cochrane review of 80 trials involving almost 30,000 participants has concluded that nicotine vapes can help more smokers quit than other methods such as nicotine replacement therapy. The evidence indicates they may also perform better than nicotine-free vaping products and behavioural support. The review found that vaping products increase the successful quit rate by around 60%, compared to NRT and behavioural support.
Researchers highlight that although vaping is not risk-free, it is far less harmful than smoking. The review also found no evidence of any increased harm from using vapes to quit smoking.
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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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