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** 13 July 2021
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** UK
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** Big tobacco reassures Vectura staff (#1)
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** North West: Newsagent convicted for selling illegal cigarettes (#2)
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** International
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** Israel study: Tobacco sellers target youth and circumvent regulations (#3)
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** US: Shreveport City Council to vote on smoking ban repeal for casinos (#4)
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** Parliamentary Activity
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** Letter from Jo Churchill to Michael Brodie, PHE chief executive (#5)
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** UK
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** Philip Morris International (PMI) has vowed to introduce employee incentive plans “in keeping with private equity ownership” and has made pledges over jobs and sites as part of its agreed takeover of Vectura.

PMI announced last week that he had made a £1 billion deal to buy Vectura, the British pharmaceutical company that works on treatments for smoking-related diseases. The planned takeover has been criticised by the Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath, which is the research partner in Stop, a global tobacco industry watchdog, Cancer Research UK and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

Vectura, situated in Chippenham, Wiltshire, develops inhalers and inhaled treatments and employs roughly 150 of its 400 workforces there. Other documents released as part of the planned takeover show that PMI has pledged not to make any “material changes” to management and employment conditions or close sites beyond those already being restructured by Vectura.

Vectura is moving part of its operations from Chippenham to a new inhalation centre of excellence at the Bristol & Bath Science Park. Last month, it sold a production plant in Lyon, and by 2022, it intends to downsize its research and development operations in Muttenz, Switzerland.

PMI has also pledged not to cut jobs, “other than in certain corporate and support functions relating to Vectura’s status as a listed company”, which would end after the takeover.

Source: The Times, 13 July 2021
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** A newsagent has been brought before the courts after being caught with illegal cigarettes and tobacco at a shop in Bolton. He was found in possession of illicit cigarettes when Bolton council officers raided his shop in March 2019.

The council had been informed that the store was selling illicit cigarettes, and when they investigated it, they discovered packs found to be illegal in the UK. Appearing at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court, He was handed a 14-month community order with 70 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £2,000. He had previously lost his premises licence following the 2019 raid.

Councillor Hilary Fairclough, Bolton’s Executive Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, said: “This case was brought to court thanks to the joint work of council officers and the police. We hope this prosecution sends a clear message to any retailers in Bolton who are trading in these illicit products. Tobacco sold in the UK must comply fully with packaging regulations. This means it must be in plain packaging and carry the appropriate health warnings.”

Source: Manchester Evening News, 12 July 2021
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Read Article ([link removed] )


** International
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** According to a recent study, tobacco companies in Israel target younger people and people from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds to sell their products.

The study authors carried out a concealed audit of 80 stores that sell IQOS - a heated tobacco device or its accompanying tobacco sticks (HEETS). The research was conducted in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba. The review found that stores found ways to get around this with signs that read “we sell tobacco” despite the ban on tobacco advertisement.

These stores were also near schools, with nearly 70% of these stores being within 300 meters of high schools and 40% within walking distance to elementary schools. Younger consumers are targeted by placing items near toys, candies and similar products, as well as situating them near schools. Furthermore, despite poorer communities tending to have higher smoking rates, the study suggests that IQOS products are being marketed to consumers in higher socioeconomic demographics, as evidenced by the higher price tag and the higher-end neighbourhoods that sell the product. This would contradict claims by IQOS that their product is aimed at smokers aiming to quit smoking.

Dr Yael Bar-Zeev, the study lead, said: “Tobacco companies prove that they don’t care and will do whatever it takes to continue marketing their products and increasing their revenue. Israel’s government needs to act decisively, institute a license to sell tobacco, and ban the sale of tobacco products in locations that are in close proximity to schools.”

Source: Jerusalem Post, July 12 2021

See also: Nicotine and Tobacco Research - Assessment of IQOS Marketing Strategies at Points-of-Sale in Israel at a Time of Regulatory Transition ([link removed])
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Read Article ([link removed] )


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** The Shreveport City Council in Louisiana will decide today (13 July) whether to exempt casinos from a citywide smoking ban.

In June 2020, the council passed the Smoke Free Air Act, banning smoking in bars, casinos, and gaming facilities. The ordinance will go into effect on 1 August. However, the casino industry wants an exemption and says the smoking ban will hurt their business and local economy.

Smoke Free Louisiana and health experts have opposed the exemption saying smoking puts the health of casino employees at risk. A petition urging council members to vote no is also on the American Heart Association’s website.

Source: Red River Radio, 12 July 2021
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Read Article ([link removed] )


** Parliamentary Activity
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**
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** The Public Health Minister, Jo Churchill MP, has written to the chief executive of Public Health England, Michael Brodie, setting out the organisation’s strategic remit and priorities for 2021 and 2022. These cover:
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** Reducing health inequalities
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** Obesity, healthy weight and nutrition
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** Mental health
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** Tackling health harms
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** Sexual and reproductive health
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** Early years
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** Public health reforms
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** On smoking the letter:
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** states that “Preventing the onset of avoidable physical and mental illness and improving health by tackling important public health issues, such as obesity and smoking, is a priority for the government.”
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** acknowledges that PHE has played a major part in the UK “achieving the lowest levels of smoking since records began.”
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** states that PHE will “support DHSC’s development of a new tobacco control plan to deliver the government’s smoke-free 2030 ambition including smoking cessation behaviour campaigns.” This will contribute to the government’s ambition for the population to obtain 5 extra healthy years of life by 2035.
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** On health promotion and the public health reorganisation the letter states that PHE will:
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** work with DHSC to develop the Office of Health Promotion and future healthcare public health and prevention arrangements
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** support DHSC to develop a new health promotion strategy to improve health, tackle inequalities and contribute to levelling up through the provision of appropriate advice, evidence and expertise
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** Source: Department of Health and Social Care, 13 July 2021
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Read Letter ([link removed])
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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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