“Evidence finds that even in the presence of illicit sales, higher excises reduce consumption & that price increases aid quitting” As Professors Prabhat Jha, Sarah Lewington & Emily Banks argue, decreasing tobacco taxes would not reduce the illicit trade in Australia, but would harm public health.

The need for a balanced perspective on tobacco cessation and taxation

Click on the article title to read more.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

JTI’s illicit tobacco claims don’t add up. 🤔 In our latest blog, ASH Policy and Public Affairs Manager John Waldron examines JTI’s latest survey on illicit tobacco, compares its claims with independent evidence, and explores what the data really tells us. 🔗 Read here: ash.org.uk/media-centre...

JTI’s illicit tobacco claims don’t add up - ASH

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a campaigning public health charity that works to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco.

ash.org.uk

New research out today! 🚨 The first study to ask MPs and parliamentary staff about alcohol in their workplace. ➡️ Almost 1 in 10 report a negative experience because of a colleague's drinking ❓And 70% don't know how to raise a concern. Read it here: www.ias.org.uk/report/under...

Under the influence? Perspectives of alcohol in the parliamentary workplace among UK MPs and staff - Institute of Alcohol Studies

The drinking culture in Westminster has long made headlines, with reports that alcohol blurs personal and professional boundaries on the parliamentary estate and fuels inappropriate behaviour.[1] Alco...

ias.org.uk

Yvette Cooper is the new Health Secretary, but what does this mean for tobacco control? 🤔 As Cooper returns to DHSC for the implementation of the UK’s first smokefree generation, ASH looks back at her achievements on tobacco during her time as Public Health Minister 27 years ago. shorturl.at/zm8MB

Yvette Cooper is Health Secretary: A look back at her work on tobacco control - ASH

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a campaigning public health charity that works to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco.

shorturl.at

Peter Lamb MP @delivering4crawley.bsky.social is absolutely right- the Government is taking action to reduce the appeal of vapes to children- something which is long overdue. But, as he says, a balance must be struck to make sure that vapes remain available for adult smokers who want to quit.

MP Peter Lamb welcomes new measures to protect children from vaping

See the latest news from Your World at https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/your-world

sussexexpress.co.uk

ASH data shows that in 2026, 75% of young people who are aware of vaping products reported that they had seen promotion for vapes. 👀This is up from 56% in 2022. 📈 The Govt are currently consulting on measures to reduce the appeal of vapes to young people, by restricting their packaging and display.

Watch ASH CE @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social speak on GB News today about the importance of the indoor smoking ban. 📺 Hazel highlighted the popularity of the law and its hugely positive impact on public health - the law prevented 1,200 emergency admissions from heart attacks in its first year alone.🚭

ASH Public Affairs Lead Helen Duffy argues that if the PM is looking to tax "businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities" then big tobacco should be the top of his list. ash.org.uk/media-centre...

If Andy Burnham is looking to tax businesses that ‘do not make a positive contribution to society’, he should start with big tobacco - ASH

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a campaigning public health charity that works to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco.

ash.org.uk

ICYMI - Analysis from ASH shows that smoking pushes 417,000 households in the UK into poverty, including 137,000 children. That's why our report calls on the Government to publish a roadmap to a smokefree country with clear goals to bring smoking below 1% across all population groups.

Congratulations to the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham PM Burnham has been a steadfast supporter of ending the harm from smoking whilst mayor of Greater Manchester Last year he announced that GM had won the Partnership for Healthy Cities Award in recognition of its efforts to reduce smoking rates🏆

ASH looks forward to working with the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care @yvettecooper-mp.bsky.social. The UK is leading the world with the creation of the smokefree generation from January next year. We look forward to working together to end the tobacco epidemic and save lives.

The King's Fund@thekingsfund.bsky.social · 2w ago

Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King's Fund, responds to Yvette Cooper's appointment as new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. 👉https://bit.ly/4bBxK1f

Good news from Australia. Daily smoking rates have fallen to a historic low in Australia. Daily tobacco smoking among those aged 14 and over dropped to 5.6% in 2025, down from 8.3% in 2022-23. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

A new study from @ucl-targ.bsky.social has shown that while most smokers report purchasing tobacco only from legal sources, 23.1% say they bought tobacco from illicit sources at least once in the previous six months during 2025. medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07...

"Greater openness is an important safeguard against undue influence..." Together with @oha-updates.bsky.social & @aha-uk.bsky.social we have welcomed @ethicsandintegrity.bsky.social recommendations on lobbying. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Protect public health policies from lobbying firms | Letter

Letters: Caroline Cerny, Prof Sir Ian Gilmore and Katharine Jenner welcome the ethics watchdog’s recommendations to improve transparency around lobbying

theguardian.com

Last week the Government launched a consultation on the packaging, appearance and display of tobacco and nicotine products. Here’s what the Government proposes on tobacco 👇

Fantastic to see @dannychambers.bsky.social highlight the huge impact the Tobacco and Vapes Act will have in reducing health inequalities during yesterday's Health Bill Committee session. 🚭

We’re pleased to see the Government launch a consultation on new measures to limit the appeal of vapes to children – including marketing, promotion and point-of- sale. But measures to protect children must be balanced with ensuring vapes are accessible to adult smokers as a quit aid.

Great to see that the consultation on measures to limit the appeal of vapes to children will be launched today as part of the Tobacco and Vapes Act.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 4w ago

Vape packaging and flavouring face restrictions under UK plans to reduce appeal to children

ASH, the AHA @aha-uk.bsky.social and the OHA @oha-updates.bsky.social have responded to the Ethics and Integrity Commission’s review into lobbying, disclosure and access to government. The EIC's report is available here: eic.independent-commission.uk/wp-content/u...

Great to see smoking cessation recommended as a core intervention in the @lungtaskforce.bsky.social's new report calling for a respiratory Modern Service Framework. As the report says, smoking cessation is one of the most effective interventions to prevent respiratory disease. 🚭

📊 New ASH survey data reveals trends in adult and youth vaping. 📈 New factsheets published today by ASH reveal comprehensive data from our survey conducted by YouGov on vaping trends and behaviour in Britain.

📉New ASH data has shown that 54% of UK adults & 52% of people who smoke wrongly believe vaping is as harmful or more harmful than smoking. As ASH CE @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social says, there are concerns that these misperceptions may prevent people from using vapes to quit smoking. 👇

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last mo.

Majority of UK smokers wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as cigarettes, experts find

ASH’s new report ‘Ending smoking inequality: An action plan to reduce poverty and improve health’ has shown that smoking pushes 417,000 UK households into poverty. The report calls on the Govt to publish a smokefree roadmap with clear goals to bring smoking below 1% across all population groups.

Today marks 19 years since indoor smokefree laws were introduced in England, ending smoking in enclosed public places.🚭 Today also marks the 6-month countdown to the introduction of a smokefree generation! 📅 The smokefree generation is expected to protect up to 4 million young people across GB. 🎉

This morning ASH Chief Executive @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social gave evidence to the Treasury Select Committee session on tax and duty non-compliance on high streets. Hazel answered questions from committee members on tobacco taxation and the illicit tobacco and vape market.

📢 ASH Ready Reckoner released for 2026 This is an easy-to-use cost calculator, showing the costs of smoking to society. 💰🚬 The tool breaks costs down into local authorities, combined authorities, regions, ICBs and Parliamentary constituencies. 📈 ash.org.uk/resources/vi...

ASH Ready Reckoner - ASH

Find out how much smoking costs your area.

ash.org.uk

📢ASH’s Public Opinion tool has been updated for 2026 The tool sets out public support on key issues in tobacco control, broken down by regions in England📈 Find out more with the tool here: ash.org.uk/for-professi...

Regional public opinion - ASH

Gathering regional public opinion on key issues in tobacco control and support for new measures.

ash.org.uk

Smoking in pregnancy has fallen to a record low of 4.2% 🎉 APPG on Smoking & Health Co-Chairs @marykfoymp.bsky.social and Bob Blackman MP recently met Wendy Robinson and her 5-week-old smokefree granddaughter 👶❤️ They have written to the Public Health Minister welcoming this wonderful news.

What do sugar and tobacco have in common? 🤔 In a new article, David Westgarth examines the comparisons that have been drawn between sugar and tobacco and considers how the two industries have used similar tactics. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

From a policy perspective, is sugar the new tobacco? - BDJ In Practice

BDJ In Practice - From a policy perspective, is sugar the new tobacco?

nature.com

Smoking during pregnancy has fallen faster in the last 5 years than at any point since records began. What changed? Dedicated stop smoking support became part of routine maternity care. Our new blog explores why it's working – and why protecting these services matters. 👇 ash.org.uk/media-centre...

Smoking in pregnancy has fallen to a record low. Here's what the rest of the health system can learn - ASH

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a campaigning public health charity that works to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco.

ash.org.uk