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** 7 December 2020
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** UK
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** Brexit is an opportunity to stop Britons smoking (#1)
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** Mental health demand could almost double, warns NHSE research (#2)
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** BTS Medal 2020 (#3)
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** International
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** US: Big tobacco submits signatures on California referendum to stop the ban on flavoured tobacco products (#4)
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** UK
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** Dr Rob Branston, senior lecturer in business economics University of Bath, Allen Gallagher, postdoctoral research associate the University of Bath, and Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, write in The Conversation that Brexit offers the UK opportunities to strengthen its world-leading tobacco control measures, by creating greater flexibility to respond to industry action and market developments.

They highlighted that higher prices are one of the most effective tobacco control measures. EU rules currently bound the UK. However, the UK will enjoy greater freedom to adopt types of tobacco tax that are more effective at lifting the price of cheap tobacco products, as well as more direct pricing policies such as minimum prices or the imposition of price caps.

They pointed out that “tobacco taxation illustrates both the flexibility and pitfalls inherent in Brexit.” Majority of tobacco products sold in the UK are imported from the EU. Without a trade deal between the UK and EU, these imports will be subject to the UK global tariff from 1 January 2021. If passed, there would be an increase in the average price of a typical 20- pack of cigarettes by around 30 pence and a 30g pouch of roll-your-own tobacco by £1.77. While this is positive, the UK will lose out on not being able to influence future EU directives on tax. This lack of influence might result in more significant differences between the UK and EU tax policies.

They concluded by saying: “ultimately Brexit could help or hinder tobacco control in the UK, depending on whether the UK government has the political will to take advantage of its newfound flexibility. Then again, the government recently reiterated its ambition for England to be smoke-free by 2030, said its “commitment to tough tobacco control will continue after 1 January 2021”, and implemented the November increase to tobacco taxes. So maybe there are grounds for quiet hope that the UK will remain a global leader in tobacco control.”

Source: The Conversation, 4 December 2020

See also: International Journal of Drug Policy - What does Brexit mean for UK tobacco control? ([link removed])
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** Demand for adult mental health services could rise by 40% according to research commissioned by NHS England and seen by HSJ. The peer-reviewed research was carried out by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Foundation Trust, along with the Centre for Mental Health, Mersey Care Foundation Trust and York University. It is among four studies NHSE recommended to forecast demand for mental health services nationally.

The TEWV research also predicted that:
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** Referrals to children and young people’s mental health services could rise by up to 60% from pre-pandemic levels.
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** Demand for older people’s services by 20%.
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** Learning disabilities teams could face a 10% rise in referrals with increasing levels of complexity, and
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** Demand for improving access to psychological therapies services could rise between 11% and 33%.
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According to the modelling, the surge in demand will largely be driven by the experiences of lockdown. Those who were particularly isolated — such as single-person households and those asked to shield — are most likely to need mental health services. The modelling warned patients would present with a wide range of conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and eating disorders, and some of these conditions will be delayed by months or years. NHS staff issues may be mislabelled as “burnout,” the modelling added.

Those directly affected by COVID-19 are also expected to drive the demand for mental health support in smaller numbers but with higher acuity. The research also expects economic downturns will lead to more people needing support, with young adults possibly the most vulnerable. However, it is not yet clear how many people this will affect.

Adrian James, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “We are very concerned about the pressures mental health teams are currently under with reports of increasing patient contacts, increasing severity and high bed occupancy — particularly as difficulties in cohorting patients safely during the first wave meant some wards needed to close. We are working closely with NHS England and the DHSC to ensure demand modelling forecasts like these are considered.”

An NHSE spokesman said: “There is a range of models being developed across local NHS areas to consider what is needed for patients to get the care they need. [Last month], the government announced £500m to address the recovery of mental health services and meet additional demand and pressures as a result of the pandemic.”

Source: HSJ, 7 December 2020
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** The BTS Medal 2020 has been awarded to two outstanding members of the British Thoracic Society, Dr Bernard Higgins, and Professor John Moxham. The BTS Medal is awarded annually to a distinguished person who has greatly contributed to respiratory medicine or science.

Dr Bernard Higgins is a consultant in respiratory medicine in Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals, with a special interest in Lung cancer and asthma. He is a member of the Severe Asthma service, a founder of the Regional Severe Asthma Network in the North East and Cumbria and a former director of the Northern Respiratory Training Programme.

Professor John Moxham, Emeritus Professor of Respiratory Medicine, King’s College London had a long and distinguished career in respiratory medicine and healthcare leadership, as well as being very active in lobbying to change national tobacco policy, an interest that saw him become the first Chair of the BTS Tobacco Committee, Chair of the campaigning group Doctors for Tobacco Law and Chair of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

Source: BTS, 2 December 2020
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** International
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** The tobacco industry-funded group behind an effort to undo a pending state ban on the retail sale of flavoured tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes in California, has submitted more than 1 million petition signatures.

The California Coalition for Fairness — which is funded by R.J Reynolds Tobacco Company, Philip Morris USA and ITG Brands — must submit at least 623,212 verified signatures to qualify a referendum on Senate Bill 793 for the 2022 ballot.

The law is set to go into effect in the new year, though if the referendum qualifies, the law would be suspended until the voters act on the ballot measure in November 2022.

Advocacy Director Lindsey Freitas for the campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said: “We know Big Tobacco has hidden behind smoke and lies for years to hook generations of young people on deadly tobacco products, and this referendum is just one more tactic to continue the status quo. Governor Newsom and the Legislature stood up to Big Tobacco’s unrelentingly dishonest campaigns. If this referendum qualifies for the ballot, we’re confident that California voters will reject Big Tobacco’s desperate attempt to keep hooking our kids for a profit. But the delay will be costly and deadly.”

Source: The Sacramento Bee, 6 December 2020
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For more information call 020 7404 0242, email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or visit www.ash.org.uk

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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