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** 17 June 2021
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** UK
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** Crafty South London canines sniff out 14,000 illegal cigs - and look very proud of themselves (#1)
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** Smoking ban credited for 74% drop in heart attacks in Scotland (#2)
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** Covid: NHS Wales under “substantial pressure” amid backlog (#3)
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** International
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** US: Los Angeles moves to ban selling flavoured tobacco, but exempts some hookah sales (#4)
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** UK
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** A trio of dogs have been commending for sniffing out illicit tobacco in South London. Yoyo, Maggie, and Cooper sniffed out 14,000 illicit cigarettes during raids on Wednesday June 2nd in which Trading Standards officers seized the illicit products.
The raids were carried out by Croydon Council officers as part of the national campaign called ‘Operation CeCe’ organised by National Trading Standards and HM Revenue and Customs. The raided newsagents had previously received a bulletin warning about the dangers of selling illicit tobacco. Stashes were found behind the counter, in bags, and on the individuals in question themselves.
Source: My London, 16 June 2021
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A landmark new study has found that heart attacks have fallen by 74% in Scotland as a result of reductions in smoking rates and improving blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the population. The study says that the smoking ban and the increased uptake of cholesterol testing and statin drugs have contributed to the decline over the past 25 years.
Researchers say that the figures equate to 42,000 heart attacks being prevented or delayed in that time. The number of strokes fell by 68% over the same period. Smoking rates in Scotland have more than halved from 58% to 25% between 1994 and 2014. In 1990 just under a third of heart attacks resulted in death whereas this figure dropped to a fifth at the end of the study period.
However, the study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, did find that two newer risk factors have emerged, as average BMI has risen whilst diabetes prevalence has more than doubled from 4% to 9% of the population. Around 66% of adults in Scotland are now said to be obese or overweight. The increase in diabetes prevalence has contributed to nearly as many heart attacks as the decline in smoking has prevented.
The figures also showed that the health inequality gap is narrowing. The percentage of people experiencing heart attacks and stroke steadily decreased from 28% to 25% and 27% to 24% in the most deprived group but increased from 12% to 15% and from 13% to 16% respectively in the most affluent group, though this group was more likely to live longer.
Source: The Herald, 17 June 2021
See also: The Lancet - Clinical burden, risk factor impact and outcomes following myocardial infarction and stroke: A 25-year individual patient level linkage study ([link removed](21)00118-6/fulltext#seccesectitle0013)
Editorial note: It is estimated that over 20,000 deaths in the UK each year from heart and circulatory diseases can be attributed to smoking.
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** The chief executive of the Welsh NHS has warned that the organisation is under “substantial pressure’’ to handle large backlogs as services return to pre-pandemic levels. Dr Andrew Goodall said that the need to continue with COVID-19 precautions meant a “difficult combination’’ of factors straining the system. Monthly waiting times have risen again amid a growing backlog of patients requiring treatment. Data from April shows 595, 272 people on waiting lists in Wales, 29% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Some departments, such as trauma and orthopaedics, are experiencing a 527% increase on the pre-pandemic total. Those waiting for general surgery are 12 times as many as pre-COVID-19. By April, this year 4,159 more people had experienced a long wait for cardiology treatment. Attendances at emergency departments have also returned to pre-pandemic levels and NHS Wales says that one health board experienced its busiest ever day for A&E attendances on Monday 14th June.
The Welsh Government has made an initial £100 million of new funding available to try and bring waiting lists down and has asked health boards to be “innovative’’ in finding solutions. Pilot schemes have already begun in some areas to reduce waiting times or improve quality of life for those experiencing delays. The Royal College of Surgeons has called for the creation of non-Covid hubs to help tackle waiting lists.
Source: BBC News, 17 June 2021
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** International
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** The City Council of Los Angeles has on Wednesday 16th April backed a proposal to ban tobacco products that come in sweet, fruity, or minty flavours from store shelves in Los Angeles. Council members voted to ask city attorneys to start drafting the ban on selling flavoured tobacco products, as has been sought by a variety of youth and public health advocates who argue that flavoured products are often a gateway for hooking teens on nicotine.
Much of the debate at City Hall centred on whether to make any exemptions from the proposed ban, and it was decided that some sales of hookah tobacco would be exempted but not menthol cigarettes. Hookah advocates had argued that hookah is a valued tradition for Arabs, Armenians, and other communities. Public health advocates, however, have argued that hookah has been the starting point for around a quarter of college students in the US who have ever used nicotine products.
Source: Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2021
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