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** 9 December 2021
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** UK
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** Luton shop owner fined over storage and sales of illicit tobacco (#1)
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** International
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** New Zealand to ban cigarettes for future generations (#2)
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** Big Tobacco whistleblowers awarded top prize (#3)
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** Spain considers banning smoking in cars and modifying tobacco laws (#4)
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** Parliamentary Activity
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** Health and Care Bill - HoL Second Reading summary (#5)
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** UK
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** A Luton shopkeeper blamed his staff after illegal tobacco was found in his shop. The shop owner pleaded guilty to selling illicit tobacco from his shop, resulting in fines totalling £6,415.
During an inspection of the shop on February 26, Trading Standard Officers found 86 packs of non-duty paid cigarettes, 4 packs of hand-rolling tobacco and 47 niche tobacco products. Some were counterfeit and others unsafe, as they would not self-extinguish if discarded. Two more seizures of non-duty paid tobacco products were made, followed by several sales, some of which were also counterfeit.
The shop owner said an employee was responsible and admitted to turning a blind eye. He was given a 12-month Community Order with 200 hours of unpaid work, with costs of £1,325 and a surcharge of £90. The company which owned the shop was also fined £5,000.
Luton Trading Standards is currently investigating and gathering information on the sale of illicit tobacco, shisha and vaping products across Luton to protect the health of the public.
Source: Luton Today, 8 December 2021
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** International
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New Zealand will ban the sale of tobacco to its next generation in a bid to eventually phase out smoking. Anyone born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in their lifetime, under a law expected to be enacted next year. Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verall said: “We want to make sure young people never start smoking.”
Doctors and other health experts in the country have welcomed the “world-leading” reforms, which will reduce access to tobacco and restrict nicotine levels in cigarettes. Prof Janet Hook from the University of Otago said, “it will help people quit or switch to less harmful products and make it much less likely that young people get addicted to nicotine.”
New Zealand is committed to lowering its national smoking rate to 5% by 2025, with the aim of eventually eliminating it. As part of the crackdown announced on Thursday, the government also introduced major tobacco controls, including significantly restricting where cigarettes can be sold to remove them from supermarkets and corner stores. The number of shops authorised to sell cigarettes will be drastically reduced to under 500 from about 8,000 now, officials say. In 2017, New Zealand adopted vaping as a pathway to help smokers quit tobacco.
Source: BBC News, 9 December 2021
See also: Daily Mail - New Zealand's plan to end smoking: A lifetime ban for youth ([link removed])
The Guardian - New Zealand to ban smoking for next generation in bid to outlaw habit by 2025 ([link removed])
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** The whistleblowers who worked with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism to expose British American Tobacco’s (BAT) corporate espionage in Africa have been jointly awarded this year’s Blueprint Whistleblowing Award. Their evidence formed the basis of the joint investigation with BBC Panorama and the University of Bath’s tobacco control research group.
In September, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism revealed BAT’s private security agents had negotiated a bribe with Robert Mugabe’s regime to secure the release of three of their Zimbabwean spies. The award is for recognising bravery and integrity in squaring up to malpractice, even when they are implicated themselves.
Lady Hollick, who presented the virtual award ceremony, said: “The latest investigations simply would not have happened without the personal testimony and documentary evidence of François van der Westhuizen and Pieter Snyders. The Serious Fraud Office are aware of these most recent allegations, but it remains to be seen if BAT will be brought to account.”
Source: The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, 13 September 2021
See also: Smoke Screen: BAT, bribes and spies in the tobacco industry ([link removed])
University of Bath Press Release - Whistleblowers who contributed to research on British American Tobacco receive free speech award ([link removed])
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** Spain’s Ministry of Health has finalised an ambitious, comprehensive plan against smoking that introduces, among other issues, the prohibition of smoking in cars, the generic packaging of tobacco brands and limiting electronic cigarettes.
The Government is aware of the delay in its commitments in the fight against tobacco, mainly because it has focused on fighting the covid pandemic but has now decided to approve a plan with five goals and 21 objectives. The final draft has now been sent to scientific, medical experts and all the autonomous communities who will have until December 15 to submit their contributions.
The Ministry is proposing to increase smoke-free spaces in areas such as the terraces of bars and restaurants and in the vicinity of public buildings. This will include e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. These smoke-free spaces will also include private vehicles. In addition, they want to stop the increasing covert advertising and promotions on social networks and platforms of new tobacco products.
The Health Ministry is proposing to follow in the wake of other countries such as France and Australia which have implemented generic packaging of tobacco packs to reduce the attractiveness of brands and help reduce cigarette consumption. It also wishes to ban flavouring additives in tobacco and related products and revise the taxation of tobacco to increase the cost of tobacco products.
According to this proposal, “Spain plans to reach the goal established by the WHO of a relative reduction of 30% in tobacco consumption by the year 2025.”
Source: Euro Weekly, 8 December 2021
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** Parliamentary Activity
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** On Tuesday (7th December), members of the House of Lords debated the 2nd reading of the Health and Care Bill. Speaking during the debate, Lord Rennard, Officer of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health, said:
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** He welcomes and supports Lord Young of Cookham’s Cigarette Stick Health Warnings Private Members Bill.
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** He and others will table amendments to the Health and Care Bill to consult on introducing a “polluter pays” levy on tobacco manufacturers to fund lifesaving measures to help smokers quit and prevent youth uptake, to close loopholes in existing regulations and to ratchet up regulation of tobacco.
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** Amendments to this Bill are needed to accelerate progress in reducing smoking prevalence and deliver the Government’s Smokefree 2030 ambition.
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** Source: Hansard, 7 December 2021
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