Press Releases - Page 3 of 57 - Action on Smoking and Health

In Britain young people vape just to give it a try, not because they think it’s “cool”

18 June 2019 New research published today by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) shows vaping remains uncommon among young people, and young people vape mainly just to give it a try (52%) not because they think it looks cool (1%). The findings come from an annual YouGov survey, commissioned by ASH, which examines youth […]

On World No Tobacco Day more people sick from smoking having been given free fags come forward

31 May 2019 On World No Tobacco Day more people sick from smoking having been given free fags come forward On World No Tobacco Day more people have come forward who have been made seriously ill by their addiction to smoking, caused by the free cigarettes they were given by their employers. This follows publicity […]

EU introduces revolutionary new tracking system for cigarette packs today

20 May 2019 EU introduces revolutionary new tracking system for cigarette packs today From today all cigarette packs manufactured in, or imported into, the EU (including the UK) must be marked with unique codes enabling identification and tracing of any cigarettes which are being sold illegally. [1] There is a 12 month sell-through period during […]

Big Tobacco Faces New Legal Threat from Employees Given Free Cigarettes Now Sick from Smoking

25 April 2019 British American Tobacco (BAT) and the other tobacco companies face a new legal threat today from former employees who were given free cigarettes so encouraging them to smoke, a practice which ASH has discovered was commonplace. In the early 1980s the tobacco industry employed over 30,000 employees in manufacturing alone.[1] Some, including […]

Cuts to local funding for smokers requires national Government action

15 March 2019 Government cuts to public health budgets mean that only half of local authorities offer all smokers the best support to quit – a new report from Action on Smoking and Health and Cancer Research UK has found. Smoking rates for adults are still falling but they have plateaued for some groups, notably […]

World Bank cites UK as example of how tobacco taxes can be used to increase government revenues and improve public health

1 February 2019 A major new World Bank report launched today in Thailand [1] puts paid to the tobacco industry argument that when governments raise tobacco taxes it increases the illicit trade in tobacco, damaging government revenues and public health. To quote the report, “Countries as different in levels of economic and institutional development as […]

Comment on NHS England press release: NHS plan will help problem drinkers and smokers

4 January 2019 Please find below the press release from NHS England about the dedicated help for smokers to quit included in the NHS Long Term Plan and quotes about this commitment from Paul Burstow co-chair of the Mental Health & Smoking Partnership and Dr Clea Harmer, co-chair of the Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group. […]

Baby charity lead appointed as Co-Chair of smoking in pregnancy coalition

30 November 2018 Baby charity lead appointed as Co-Chair of smoking in pregnancy coalition The Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group is pleased to welcome Dr Clea Harmer [1], Chief Executive of Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, to the role of Co-Chair. She is taking over from Francine Bates [2] who, along with Professor […]

Reaching smokers where they live: next steps in the journey towards the Government’s vision of a smokefree generation

Reaching smokers where they live: next steps in the journey towards the Government’s vision of a smokefree generation 20 November 2018 A new report [1], published today [Tuesday 20th November] by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and launched at a joint event in Parliament between the APPG on Healthy Homes and Buildings and the […]

ASH comment on Royal College of Physicians press release

14 November 2018 ASH comment on Royal College of Physicians press release Please find below an embargoed press release from the Royal College of Physicians with an additional quote from Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, one of the co-signatories of the letter to Simon Stevens being published tomorrow in the British Medical Journal: Additional […]

ASH comment on Budget: Missed opportunity

29 October 2018 ASH comment on Budget: Missed opportunity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is pleased to see that the minimum excise tax (MET) on cigarettes has been uprated from £5.60 to £5.88 in the Budget today. [1] Increasing the MET raises the price of the cheapest cigarettes and discourages smokers switching to […]

New report from the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC demonstrates how the tobacco industry destroys the environment and undermines sustainable development

26 September 2018 New report from the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC demonstrates how the tobacco industry destroys the environment and undermines sustainable development The devastating impact that the tobacco industry has on human health is well known – tobacco use kills about 7 million people each year. However, a new report published today outlines […]

ASH comment on Public Health England’s launch of Stoptober

19 September 2018 ASH comment on Public Health England’s launch of Stoptober Responding to the launch of Stoptober, Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of ASH said: “There are almost as many different ways of quitting as there are smokers, but to succeed smokers need motivation. ASH is delighted to see Stoptober is back, with a new […]

New data shows smokers are getting the message on e-cigarettes

14 September 2018 New data shows smokers are getting the message on e-cigarettes Findings from a new survey [1] for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) published today show that GB smokers are getting the message that switching to vaping can improve their health. YouGov surveyed over 12,000 adults for ASH, with a further analysis […]

Charity welcomes MPs call for Government to maximise the potential from e-cigarettes

17 August 2018 Charity welcomes MPs call for Government to maximise the potential from e-cigarettes Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) today welcomes the recommendations of the Science and Technology Select Committee [1] to maximise the potential for e-cigarettes to help smokers quit. The call for an improved process to speed up the licensing of […]