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** 22 February 2023
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** UK
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** Marketing of vapes to children ‘utterly unacceptable’, says Chris Whitty (#1)
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** Scotland: Call for more support after drop in numbers trying to quit smoking (#2)
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** Gambling: Government expected to tighten regulation on sector (#3)
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** UK
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** Marketing of vapes to children ‘utterly unacceptable’, says Chris Whitty
England’s chief medical officer voices concern as vape use among 11- to 17-year-olds doubles in two years.
It is illegal to sell vapes to under-18s, but national surveys suggest the proportion of children aged 11 to 17 who vape has nearly doubled in just two years. In 2022, the figure was 7% – up from 4% in 2020, according to a YouGov survey for Action on Smoking and Health.
“I think everyone agrees that marketing vaping, an addictive product, with … unknown consequences for developing minds, to children is utterly unacceptable,” Prof Sir Chris Whitty told MPs. “Yet it is happening. There’s no doubt it’s happening because, although from a low base, the rates of vaping have doubled in the last couple of years among children. So that is an appalling situation.”
Giving evidence to the health and social care committee about prevention of ill health on Tuesday, Whitty said it was clear some products were deliberately intended to appeal to underage children, and that more must be done to rapidly reduce vaping among under-18s.
“I think we need to be much more serious, in my view, that trying everything we can to reduce vaping in children, as well as smoking in children, is really important, whilst trying what we can do to make sure that vaping is available for those for whom that is the route out of smoking.”
Whitty said existing smokers should still switch to vapes because they were healthier than cigarettes. “Everyone agrees, I think, that it is far safer for someone to vape than to smoke,” he said.
“So if the choice has to be between one of two of those – they’re smoking heavily now, they want to come off smoking, and they can move on to vaping, they can’t just completely stop, then that is a net benefit in health terms.
“And vaping has an important role as a public health tool to help smokers who are addicted … to come off smoking.”
Source: The Guardian, 21 February 2023
See also: ASH- Resources on youth vaping ([link removed]) and Youth Vaping factsheet ([link removed]) | Health Select Committee- Chris Whitty’s comments on vaping ([link removed])
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** Scotland: Call for more support after drop in numbers trying to quit smoking
The number of people trying to give up smoking in Scotland has fallen, prompting demands to improve support for those wanting to stub out cigarettes for good.
According to the latest NHS Stop Smoking Services Scotland report, which includes data between April 2021 and March 2022, there were 31,359 people north of the Border attempting to quit smoking.
This figure is about 17,000 fewer than the 48,749 smokers who tried to end their habit between 2019 and 2020. The findings, released by Public Health Scotland yesterday, also mark the 10th consecutive year that the number of people quitting smoking has decreased.
Ash (Action on Smoking and Health) Scotland, a charity which aims to reduce the harm caused by tobacco, said with attempts to quit smoking dropping by more than one-third compared to the previous year, the Scottish Government needs to boost specialist cessation services for the estimated 730,000 Scots who smoke.
Chief executive Sheila Duffy said: “It is alarming that these latest figures show stop smoking attempts with NHS support have fallen for the 10th consecutive year and by almost 75% since the peak of 121,385 attempts in 2011-12.
“At a time when the health service is under considerable pressure and smoking continues to be the biggest preventable cause of illness and death, swift action is required by the Scottish Government and health boards to ensure NHS Quit Your Way services are promoted and better resourced to reach more of the two-thirds of Scots who smoke and want to quit.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “A range of world-leading tobacco control measures have been introduced in Scotland, which are steadily reducing the proportion of people smoking according to the Scottish Health Survey.
“While smoking rates have dropped and fewer people are starting to smoke, the pandemic has seen a decline in the number of people quitting. We are undertaking a rapid review of smoking cessation services, the conclusions of which will inform our refreshed Tobacco Action Plan.”
Source: The National, 22 February 2023
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** Gambling: Government expected to tighten regulation on sector
The government is expected to tighten regulation on the sector when it publishes its white paper on gambling in the coming weeks.
Intense lobbying behind the scenes has gone on in recent months, to shape what will be the first significant piece of legislation on gambling in nearly 20 years and since the invention of smartphones.
This white paper has already been pushed back at least four times, with delays caused by changes in prime ministers and the revolving door of the secretary of state for culture (there have been eight in five years).
"With online gambling, there are no barriers in place," says consultant psychologist Matt Gaskell, the clinical lead for the NHS Northern Gambling Service.
"Typically, our service users are gambling from the moment they wake up in the morning in their bed. They take their phone into the bathroom with them, they take it in the car. They're gambling at work and they're gambling when they return home and they can keep it very secret even from their loved ones."
The NHS has clinics across England treating people with gambling problems, including three clinics in the north of England. The service is expanding further. By the end of the year, there will be 15 NHS centres in England dedicated to gambling.
Gaskell says an industry which has aggressively targeted punters with habit-forming products offering continuous gambling has caused a "significant public health crisis".
He wants the government to introduce a statutory levy on the gambling companies and to develop a public health message.
Source: BBC, 21 February 2023
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