Spring ’24 News Summary

A look at what we’ve been doing since January this year. Surveys, Training Workshop, Campaigns, and more…

Vaping Survey Results

ASH Wales have recently conducted a Vaping Survey throughout secondary schools in Wales

In a first-of-its-kind survey, ASH Wales have asked young people in secondary schools nationwide about their perceptions and experiences on vaping.

The anonymous data will provide a foundation of information to answer questions such as what demographics are vaping, how many young people are using the devices, what products they’re using, how they’re accessing these products, and ultimately how we can take action to protect them from these products.

First insight into the results will be discussed in our webinar on Thursday 25th April at 6pm. The webinar also covers the latest news on what is being done in Wales to tackle the issue of underage vaping, and where parents and carers can seek help.

A full press release on the results will be released in May 2024.

Wales Tobacco or Health Network

Please join us for our in-person Wales Tobacco or Health Network 2024 event where we will explore the growing availability of new nicotine and tobacco products being marketed to a new generation of nicotine dependants.

This event will grow our knowledge and support our understanding of these novel products; finding out exactly what they are, where they are, who is using them and what impact they’re having.

Important for anyone working with children and young people, from teachers and lecturers to youth workers and community leaders, we will hear the experiences of other European countries on how novel products infiltrated their markets and what has been done to control their use.

Workshops & Training

ASH Wales are delivering educational packages to schools on vaping and smoking. Our Project Delivery Leader can provide school staff with training or deliver an educational workshop to students.

Further to this, our website is currently being updated with a training section, due to be launched in May. We are also developing a brand new session around Cannabis Co-Use and Cannabis Vaporisers.

Tobacco & Vapes Bill

The Bill aims to raise the age of sale for tobacco products by one year every year, starting with those born after 1 January 2009. It also aims to tackle youth vaping by making nicotine products less attractive and available to children and young people.

An encouraging 65% of Welsh MPs voted in favour of the Tobacco & Vapes Bill during the second reading in Westminster on 16th April.

ASH Wales has led from the front on the consultation, communication and engagement with Welsh MPs on the Bill, co-ordinating briefings and letters to politicians from the Wales Tobacco Control Alliance. The Bill now moves to committee stages and will be discussed in UK Parliament again on 30 April.

Retail Register

At a Cross Party Group meeting on Tuesday 27th February 2024, chaired by John Griffiths MS, we discussed whether a retail register or licensing scheme for tobacco, vapes and nicotine is the next step in tobacco control in Wales.

Speakers were Professor Jamie Pearce, from Edinburgh University; Marie Brousseau-Navarro, the deputy Future Generations Commissioner for Wales; Claire Howells, manager in licensing and trading standards with Torfaen County Borough Council and Fatma Nur Aksoy, a member of the Welsh Youth Parliament.

No Smoking Day 2024

On 13th March this year, we marked No Smoking Day with pop-up events in hospitals, workshops in schools, and an event with politicians in The Senedd.

We sent resources to all corners of Wales, including posters with our face of the campaign, Denise. Denise quit smoking after decades and is testament that it is never too late to quit.

In March, the first beaches in North Wales joined the voluntary Smokefree Beaches initiative. Benllech and Trearddur Bay in Anglesey now join the list of 6 beaches across the Welsh coast taking steps to protect the environment, wildlife and sea life from the harms of discarded cigarette butts.

We invited local schools to join us on Benllech Beach to celebrate the launch of the voluntary initiative. The pupils spoke with BBC and ITV News in between their activities of litter picking, and water safety lessons.

New Survey: Most Welsh Businesses Support New Tobacco Laws

A new survey by ASH Wales Cymru today reveals that support for new tobacco laws among small business owners is particularly strong in Wales.

As Welsh MPs prepare to debate the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in the second reading in Westminster, 58% of small businesses surveyed in Wales said they supported Welsh and UK governments’ plans to make it illegal for anyone born after 1 January 2009 to be sold tobacco products1.

In addition, 86% of businesses surveyed in Wales said they would support the introduction of Fixed Penalty Notices for retailer breaches of age of sale legislation for vapes and tobacco products.

Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales Cymru, said: “This strong backing from businesses in Wales is significant because it flies in the face of tobacco industry rhetoric that public protection measures are bad for business – that clearly isn’t the case.

“We already know that some years ago, when display bans and standardised packaging were introduced for cigarettes, the majority of small businesses at that time said it had no impact on them at all.

“Responsible Welsh retailers know that raising the age of sale for tobacco products is the right thing to do, and they want businesses who breach legislation to be held accountable.”

When it comes to the age of sale legislation and the general population, more than 6 out of 10 people in Wales support the measures. In a survey recently by YouGov for ASH Wales 62 % said they were in favour, with 15% opposed.

Data from the ONS shows that Wales has the highest proportion of smokers among all the UK nations. Smoking is uniquely harmful and people need support to end their addiction. Every year in Wales, 5,600 people die from smoking related illnesses and smoking costs the Welsh NHS more than £300m.

According to UK government modelling, the legislation could eliminate smoking in under 30s by 2050.

Suzanne added: “We are urging all Welsh MPs to listen to their constituents, and to the evidence. Passing and implementing this bill will be a legacy they can be proud of, supporting one of the most monumental public health interventions in decades, protecting future generations in Wales from nicotine addiction and the devastating harms of tobacco.

“The clock is ticking on this Bill, there is only a limited amount of time to get it passed into law before the summer recess or a General Election. Failure to do so will result in unnecessary delay and more lives lost.”

The survey of independent retailers was conducted by NEMS, a market research company for ASH Wales, using computer-assisted telephone interviews among a random sample of 100 managers or owners of small shops selling tobacco in Wales. Retailers included newsagents, off-licences, specialist tobacconists, local convenience stores/supermarkets (including symbol groups), and independent fuel stations

Tables set out below for England and Wales, and England and Wales separately.

Question: The Government has announced legislation to raise the age of sale for tobacco for those born in 2009 or later by one year, every year, so it will never be legal to sell them tobacco. To what extent, if at all, would you support or oppose this measure?

 England & WalesEnglandWales
Unweighted base904804100
Support51%50%58%
Oppose26%26%27%
Don’t know/ Neither support nor oppose23%25%15%

For more information, contact louise.elliott@ashwales.org.uk  029 2049 0621

Please click here for support to quit smoking

Download Survey

First Smoke-free Beaches in North Wales Launched on Ynys Môn

More of Wales’ stunning coastline is being protected from the devastating harms of cigarette pollution, as beaches on Ynys Môn have become the first in north Wales to sign-up to smoke-free status.

The sand and sea at Benllech, on the east of the island, and Treaddur Bay on the west, will now be designated as smoke-free. Locals, visitors and tourists alike will be asked to support the initiative by choosing not to smoke on these beaches.

Cigarette butts are the number one most littered item in the world and pose a major threat to the marine environment. Over time, each butt will break apart into microplastics, seeping toxic chemicals including lead, arsenic and formaldehyde into the fragile marine ecosystem and watercourses.

ASH Wales believes that preventing smoking on Wales’ beaches will play a significant part in reducing litter and protecting wildlife, and will also have a role in preventing children from starting to smoke in the first place.

Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle said:

“It is fantastic that Ynys Môn has become the first local authority in north Wales to sign up to smoke-free status and make two more of Wales’ beaches smoke-free. Not only will more smoke-free places help protect people from harmful second-hand smoke and reduce the environmental damage from smoking, but they will help make smoke-free the norm in Wales, discourage young people from taking up smoking and support more smokers to quit.

“We want to create a smoke-free Wales by 2030 and creating more smoke-free spaces is one way we can achieve this. This is why it is important we respect our surroundings and all work together to limit the harmful effects of smoking on our beautiful Welsh landscapes as well its associated health and environmental risks.”

Chief Executive of ASH Wales, Suzanne Cass, said:

“Public support for smoke-free beaches remains high in Wales with around 6 in 10 in favour, so it’s great to see this partnership in action, implementing policies to improve people’s health, the environment and quality of life. We now need more to follow suit, to protect more of our coastline and our communities.”

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Acting Executive Director of Public Health, Dr Jane Moore, said:

“Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable illness and early death in Wales. If you smoke, then quitting is the best thing you can do for your health. Making public spaces smoke-free is a really important step to help denormalise smoking and can help to prompt people who do smoke to consider quitting.

“Help Me Quit services in north Wales have had one of their busiest years on record, with more than 5,000 people asking for help to stop smoking.”

Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn Leisure, Tourism and Maritime Portfolio Holder, Cllr Neville Evans added:

“People from all over the country, UK and world come to visit our beautiful island and its beaches. They are also an incredibly important resource for our local economy. Appropriate signage will be on display. We hope that this initiative will encourage beach visitors to take the small steps that can help make a big difference in our commitment to help protect the environment. Hopefully, in time, we will also see this extended to other beaches across Anglesey.”

 

ASH Wales celebrates 40 Years of No Smoking Day at The Senedd

This year marks the 40th year of No Smoking Day. A national awareness campaign which is intended to help smokers who want to quit, show support to those who are already on their quitting journey and celebrate those who have successfully quit. As part of this year’s campaign, ASH Wales held an open event in Welsh Parliament in Cardiff.

Pictured above with Lliswery High School Pupils, from left to right: Dr Altaf Hussein MS, John Griffiths MS, chair of the CPG on Smoking and Health, David Rees MS, Huw Irranca-Davies MS.

ASH Wales invited Lliswerry High School (Newport), Llangatwg Community School (Neath), and Radyr Comprehensive School (Cardiff) to join the event to hear more about the work Wales has done and been an integral part of in fighting tobacco addiction in Welsh communities. As well as the well-known health harms of smoking, the students learnt more about the environmental impact of cigarettes and how they harm our oceans and wildlife.

Further to this, for No Smoking Day 2024 ASH Wales placed the spotlight on Denise (66) from Splott, Cardiff to tell her story; quitting after smoking 40 a day for over 50 years. Denise was able to join the event, now 12 months completely smokefree, and provide the students with further insight into how the addiction impacted her everyday life, physical health, mental health as well as her finances. The Smokefree champion admitted there are moments of temptation, but they are quickly followed by reminders of her hard work and the benefits of her smokefree life. The students applauded her and so did the Senedd Members who joined us.

Pictured with Llangatwg Community School pupils, from left to right: John Griffiths MS, Denise Jenkins, Mike Hedges MS.

Welsh politicians spoke to the students about the importance of their health and wellbeing, listened to what they had to say and how they felt smoking impacted their communities. The politicians happily took photographs with the pupils and answered some quiz questions they had prepared on the topic of smoking.

ASH Wales were delighted to be able to provide the students with the opportunity to delve into the political environment and gain experience of campaigning for the health of Welsh communities, as well as meet with Members of the Senedd to discuss how we can move forward to our goal of Smokefree 2030 in Wales.

You can watch Denise’s story HERE.

You can see more content on our No Smoking Day events on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

UK Gov: Chancellor’s Budget Announcement

New vape tax would be a welcome next step – but more action is urgently needed to achieve a Smokefree Generation and tackle youth vaping

Two of Wales’ leading health charities have welcomed plans for the additional regulation of vape products, following the announcement of a consultation on the design of a new levy  by Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.

ASH Wales and Asthma + Lung UK Cymru agree a new tax is a good idea and have now urged the UK Government to go further.

Suzanne Cass, chief executive of Ash Wales, said:

“A new tax will be a useful lever to support enforcement to tackle the supply and demand of illegal products, especially among children who should never vape. But on its own, it’s not enough.

“The longer we wait – the bigger the problem becomes and more children become dependent on nicotine. We urgently need to see the bill to create a smokefree generation and tackle youth vaping tabled in Westminster, progressed through the legislative process and then passed into law here in Wales.”

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma + Lung UK Cymru said:

“Introducing a new tax on vapes is a good idea. We need urgent action to stop children from vaping, with disposable vapes in particular remaining far too attractive and easy for children to buy – a price increase would quickly make vapes less accessible.

“However, the revenue from a vaping levy must be used to fund a vape recycling scheme and enforcement around sales. Alongside a levy, we want to see restrictions on the marketing of vapes so that they do not appeal to children.”

A vape tax would also have the added benefit of giving greater powers to Border Force and HMRC to stop the import of illegal vapes.

ASH Wales also welcomed plans for an increase in tobacco duty and highlighted the importance of keeping a price differential between vapes and tobacco, to avoid sending a message that they are equally harmful.

Worryingly, according to ASH Wales data, there is a sizeable proportion of adults in Wales who believe that vapes are just as harmful, or more harmful than tobacco cigarettes.

The ASH Wales YouGov Annual Survey 2023 shows the percentage who feel this way has grown from 25% in 2017 to 46% in 2023. This is consistent among smokers in Wales, with 47% who felt this way – again a significant increase from 14% of smokers in 2017.

Suzanne Cass added: “It’s important that smokers always have that option to switch from smoking to vaping, which is not only significantly less harmful to their health – but it should also be less expensive too.”

Joseph Carter added: “It’s also important to remember that vaping can be a useful way for adults to quit smoking, so the levy should fund an expansion of the Swap to Stop scheme and enable people on the lowest incomes to access vaping devices to help them.  

“If you’re a smoker and you want to quit tobacco, vaping can be a helpful way to give up smoking. But for children and those who don’t smoke, starting to vape is never good idea, especially if you have a lung condition.” 

UK Gov: Smoke-free Generation Bill

62% of adults in Wales support the PM’s ambition to stamp out smoking

  • ASH Wales Cymru urges the UK government to put the Smokefree Generation Bill to Parliament now

Health charity ASH Wales, which is Wales’ leading tobacco control organisation, is urging the UK Government to listen to the Welsh public and put the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to Parliament without further delay, as polling shows overwhelming support for stamping out smoking.

When it comes to the age of sale legislation, 62% of those previously surveyed by YouGov for ASH Wales said they were in favour with 15% opposed.

Support for raising the age of sale was shown to be strongest among voters in Wales for the three main parties in the general election (71% of those intending to vote Conservative, 76% Labour and 80% Plaid Cymru).

Suzanne Cass, chief executive of ASH Wales, said,

“Smoking still kills over 5,000 people in Wales every single year. We need bold action to stamp out this silent killer that is hiding in plain sight. Raising the age of sale is bold action and is fully supported by the people of Wales. This latest poll demonstrates the urgent need for that action to be put into practice to protect our young people from ever becoming addicted.”