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Number of smokers in UK hits lowest level on record, ONS says
The proportion of smokers in the UK has fallen to its lowest level on record, with statisticians saying vaping has played a “major role” in this drop.
New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that 13.3% of people aged 18 and over in the UK smoked cigarettes in 2021, the equivalent of around 6.6 million people. This is the lowest proportion of current smokers since records started in 2011, when it stood at 20.2%.
The ONS said that in Great Britain 7.7% of those aged 16 and over surveyed in August and September last year said they currently used an e-cigarette daily or occasionally, equating to around four million adults in the population. This is an increase from 2020, when 6.4% of people reported daily or occasional e-cigarette use. It added that the proportion of vapers was highest among current cigarette smokers (25.3%) and ex-cigarette smokers (15.0%), with only 1.5% of people who have never smoked reporting that they currently vape.
The ONS also said policies associated with the tobacco control plan for England, such as increased public awareness campaigns and smoke free places, may have also contributed to decreased smoking prevalence.
Source: The Independent, 6 December 2022
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US cigarette companies required to display smoking risks in stores
The US Department of Justice announced a court order yesterday, 6 December, requiring major cigarette companies to display signs in retail stores, with corrective statements about the health effects and addictive nature of cigarettes.
In a press release, the DOJ said the court order "resolves the government’s long-running civil racketeering lawsuit against the largest United States’ cigarette companies."
In 1999, the lawsuit was filed in US District Court in Washington, D.C. The trial took place between 2004-05, and the courts determined that the companies defrauded consumers about the dangers associated with smoking. Although the court case ended in 2005, yesterday’s court order imposed what the DOJ says is the last of several corrective remedies ordered because of that case.
The court order applies to Altria, Philip Morris USA Inc., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and four cigarette brands owned by ITG Brands LLC. It is estimated that 200,000 of the 300,000 retail locations in the US that sell cigarettes have agreements with the tobacco companies, allowing the companies to control how cigarettes are displayed in the stores.
The order requires the companies to amend their agreements with the stores to require the corrective statements to be placed in the stores.
Source: Fox News, 6 December 2022
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Juul agrees to settle thousands of vaping lawsuits
Yesterday, Juul Labs announced that it had agreed to settle approximately 5,000 lawsuits in a Northern California court case for an undisclosed sum, resolving one more legal battle over its sale and marketing of e-cigarettes towards young people.
Juul has repeatedly denied targeting minors, and in other rounds of settlements the company has not admitted wrongdoing in reaching agreements with the plaintiffs. The latest settlement does not end claims against Altria, which owned a 35% stake in Juul, according to lawyers for the plaintiffs.
The company is still awaiting a decision by the Food and Drug Administration over permanent authorisation for sale of its vaping devices and pods. In June, the agency denied the company’s application to allow its e-cigarettes to remain on the market. Juul received a temporary court reprieve before the FDA put its decision on hold for further review, which is continuing.
Source: The New York Times, 6 December 2022
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Oral questions: Smoking
Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East, asked what date and time the tobacco control plan will be published.
Responding for the Government, Minister for Primary Care and Public Health Neil O’Brien, said:
“Whatever format our next steps forward are set out in, we will be pushing forward very quickly and aggressively on this. This year, we are putting £35 million into the NHS to support our services for everyone who goes in to stop smoking. We have doubled duty on cigarettes and brought in a minimum excise tax. Women who are pregnant now routinely get a carbon monoxide test. National campaigns such as Stoptober have now helped 2.1 million people to quit smoking. We are also supporting a future medically licensed vaping product as a quitting aid. We will be pressing forward at the greatest speed.”
Source: Hansard, 6 December 2022
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Oral questions: Health Inequalities
Peter Gibson, Conservative MP for Darlington, and Mary Robinson, Conservative MP for Cheadle, asked Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, Neil O’Brien, “What plans he has to reduce health inequalities?”.
Responding for the Government, Neil O’Brien said: “we are taking action on public health across the board”, and highlighted the lowest smoking rates on record in this country.
Mary Robson highlighted recent research by the University of Manchester which showed how addressing disparities in healthcare is key to levelling up. The MP for Cheadle also cited from this research, inequalities have resulted in a 30% productivity gap in the north, which can be attributed to poorer health. She asked how the Government are working to address this and to ensure that residents of the north are not at a health and care disadvantage?
Responding for the Government, Neil O’Brien argued the need to tackle the problem from both the health end and the economic end and highlighted how preventing ill health is the underlying key and the rationale behind the £3 billion drug strategy and the measures on smoking, energy and housing.
Shadow Minister for Public Health, Andrew Gwynne cited the Conservatives’ 2019 pledge to extend healthy life expectancy by five years but highlighted in the last year, the health disparities White Paper has been shelved and the tobacco control plan has been delayed, resulting in widening inequalities. Mr Gwynne asked, “does the Minister plan to revive any of these strategies, or have the Conservatives completely given up on prevention?”
Responding for the Government, Neil O’Brien highlighted Government activity in driving up blood donations from shortage groups and vaccine uptake in areas with the lowest uptake, and an additional £900 million funding for drug treatment. The Minister concluded, “across the board, we are working at pace to improve public health and narrow health inequalities.”
Source: Hansard, 6 December 2022
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House of Lords debate: Health Promotion Bill
A second reading of the Health Promotion Bill was opened by Lord Addington on Friday, 2 December.
On smoking and prevention, Lord Lansley highlighted:
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The role of inequality, poor housing, environmental quality and economic disadvantage as social determinants of health
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Argued these factors require governments to provide leadership, resources and structures to improve public health across society
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Highlighted this approach was central to the development of Public Health England, which pursued this agenda alongside combating the key risks associated with poor mental health which include tobacco and smoking
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Asked the Government to confirm a tobacco control plan renewal will not be far off
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Asked the Government why there have been cuts in the public health budget and why have smoking cessation service have been particularly hit by these cuts?
Responding for the Government, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care, Lord Markham said:
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The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), alongside local government and the NHS, is taking action on the major preventable conditions which drive ill health and early death, including cardiovascular disease and some cancers, and the risk factors that cause those conditions, including tobacco, obesity, alcohol and drugs
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He believed the Government was on target to achieve a Smokefree 2030, but could not confirm
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We are improving joint local working on population health and reducing health inequalities through integrated care systems (ICS’s)
Source: Hansard, 2 December 2022
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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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