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** 1 April 2021
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** UK
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** 'Favouritism' in levelling up grant shows declining standards, says anti-corruption body (#1)
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** International
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** EU: Member states urged to do more to enforce new tobacco legislation (#2)
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** US: Tobacco use up during early COVID-19 lockdown, according to study (#3)
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** Parliamentary Activity
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** Parliamentary questions (#4)
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** Links of the Week
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** DHSC Consultation - Transforming the public health system: reforming the public health system for the challenges of our times (#5)
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** Gresham College Chris Whitty lectures (#6)
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** UK
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**
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** Corruption experts from the Centre for the Study of Corruption (CSC) at the University of Sussex have told an official government review that ‘’partisan favouritism’’ in decisions such as the distribution of the government towns fund is contributing to a decline in public standards. The CSC told the Committee on Standards in Public Life consultation, published last week, that the allocation of funds to secure political advantage was just one of “numerous recent breaches of integrity at the heart of politics and public life”.

The CSC offered the examples of the prime minister failing to request an investigation into the conduct of Communities secretary Robert Jenrick over the Westferry Printworks affair and overruling the advice of the independent adviser who found that home secretary Priti Patel had breached the ministerial code through behaviour perceived as bullying as further evidence.

The CSC cited an ‘’unwillingness on the part of the government to countenance scrutiny or criticism of its actions, and a disregard for process and institutions designed to ensure public accountability”. The CSC also said that the “web of bodies regulating standards in the UK is very fragmented and has become less fit for purpose in the last decade”.
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**
Source: LGC, 30 March 2021
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Read Article ([link removed])


** International
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**
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** According to EU Reporter, some EU member states are failing to implement the ban on flavours being added to tobacco products laid out by the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). It is alleged that, despite the legislation being nearly a year old, some tobacco companies have continued to launch extra menthol style products in EU member states.

The TPD bans flavouring in tobacco products, with cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco no longer allowed to have flavours such as menthol, vanilla, or candy that mask the taste and smell of tobacco. The aim is to help deter young people from taking up smoking.

Governments around Europe have criticized tobacco companies for allegedly trying to circumvent the ban. Many member states are known to be investigating the issue, but none have taken any firm action. The European Commission has argued that it is the responsibility of individual member states to enforce the EU wide legislation, but some member states, such as Ireland, are calling on the EU to strengthen the rules.

The EU has claimed an overall successful application of the TPD, even though there are still banned products thought to be circulating. It has blamed the ‘’slowness by member states to act’’. The big tobacco companies, such as Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco International, have denied any wrongdoing.

Source: EU Reporter, 1 April 2021
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Read Article ([link removed])


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** A new study published online on the 1st March 2021 in the International Journal of Drug Policy has found that existing smokers or users of electronic cigarettes have reported increased use during the initial COVID-19 lockdown.

The study involved findings from semi-structured telephone interviews with 44 adults who use cigarettes and/or electronic cigarettes and researchers found that nearly all participants reported changes in their product use during lockdown. The findings echo many of the other studies and discussions about tobacco and electronic cigarettes use during lockdown by pinpointing individual-level factors like pandemic-related anxiety, boredom, and irregular routines as the cause of the increase.

Other findings included social users reporting decreased use, citing fewer interpersonal interactions and fear of sharing products. In addition, it was found that the universal availability of cigarettes at a time when electronic cigarettes access became more limited and users faced long delivery waits when purchasing online encouraged some electronic cigarettes users to turn to cigarettes.

Source: Medical Xpress, 31 March 2021

See also: International Journal of Drug Policy - Multi-level drivers of tobacco use and purchasing behaviors during COVID-19 “lockdown”: A qualitative study in the United States ([link removed])
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Read Article ([link removed])


** Parliamentary Activity
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**

PQ1: Smoking: Fines

Asked by Shabana Mahmood, Birmingham, Ladywood

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many businesses were fined in each of the last three calendar years for allowing the use of shisha/water pipe within substantially or fully enclosed public spaces.


Answered by Chris Philp, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Immigration Compliance and Courts

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Source: Hansard, 29 March 2021 ([link removed])
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** PQ2: Smoking: Fines

Asked by Shabana Mahmood, Birmingham, Ladywood

T
o ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total value of fines was issued to businesses providing shisha/water pipes for allowing smoking within substantially or fully enclosed public spaces in each of the last three calendar years.

Answered by Chris Philp, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Immigration Compliance and Courts

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Source: Hansard, 29 March 2021 ([link removed])
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** Links of the Week
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**
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** On Monday 29th March 2021 the Government published its latest policy document on changes to the public health system in England. The document outlines changes to put health promotion at the centre of government, and to more deeply embed prevention and health improvement expertise across local and national government and the NHS.

You can access the policy paper online here. ([link removed])

As part of the next steps for the reforms, the Government has launched a public consultation. The consultation focuses on three questions:

Question 1: How can we strengthen the local authority and Director of Public Health role in addressing the full range of issues that affect the health of local populations?

Question 2: How do we ensure that future arrangements encourage effective collaboration between national, regional and local actors across the system?

Question 3: What additional arrangements might be needed to ensure that regionally focussed public health teams best meet the needs of local government and local NHS partners?

You can access and respond to the consultation here. ([link removed])
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**
Over the past several months, Gresham College has hosted a series of lectures from Professor Chris Whitty on issues in public health.

You can access the 'Major Debates in Public Health' series here. ([link removed])

We particularly encourage you to listen to the lecture on 'The Role of the State in Public Health, and its Limits', in light of the developments this week and outlined above.

You can access the 'Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma' lecture here. ([link removed])

We also encourage you to listen to this lecture, on how public health is addressing lung cancer and mesothelioma and how treatment and prevention for lung cancer is slowly improving.
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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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