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** 12 February 2025
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** UK
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** Study finds no clear evidence that vaping leads to smoking in young people (#1)
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** Calls to replace cigarette filters with biodegradable alternatives raise environmental and health concerns (#2)
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** BBC research highlights AI chatbots' struggles with news accuracy, including on vapes (#4)
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** Troubles in the NHS run deeper than leadership (#5)
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** International
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** Ireland leads the way with mandatory alcohol warning labels (#3)
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** Australia: Study suggests vaping regulations may influence smoking decline (#6)
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** UK
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** Study finds no clear evidence that vaping leads to smoking in young people
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** A systematic review of 123 studies involving around four million young people in the US, Canada, and Western Europe has found no definitive evidence that vaping acts as a gateway to smoking. While some data suggests an increase in vaping coincides with a decline in youth smoking rates, other findings are less clear. Researchers stress that the relationship between vaping and smoking is complex and difficult to determine due to ethical constraints on study design. They conclude that further studies are needed to establish causal links.
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** Although at an individual level the study found that young people who vape are more likely to smoke later, it is unclear whether vaping causes this or if they would have smoked regardless. Given the continued decline in youth smoking rates, researchers argue there is no strong evidence that vaping is driving more young people to take up smoking. Increases in vaping among non-smoking young people in the US have not led to increases in youth smoking rates, which have been steadily declining for years.
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Source: Medical Xpress, 10 February 2025

See also: Begh, R et al, Electronic cigarettes and subsequent cigarette smoking in young people: A systematic review, Addiction (2025) ([link removed])
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** Calls to replace cigarette filters with biodegradable alternatives raise environmental and health concerns

A campaign to reduce plastic pollution from cigarette butts is pushing for the introduction of biodegradable filters in the UK, but public health and environmental experts warn this could be a false solution. Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the UK, with millions discarded daily, causing significant pollution. While replacing plastic filters may seem beneficial, research suggests that so-called biodegradable alternatives often require industrial conditions to break down and may still release harmful chemicals into the environment.

Beyond environmental concerns, filters do not make smoking safer. Instead, they encourage deeper inhalation, increasing addiction and the risk of lung cancer. Some experts argue that filters—whether plastic or biodegradable—should be banned entirely to reduce smoking uptake and encourage quitting. Critics also highlight that the Greenbutts- the company supporting the campaign- has links to the tobacco industry, raising concerns that this initiative serves more as a public relations effort than a genuine attempt to tackle tobacco’s environmental and health harms.

Source: Generation Sans Tabac, 11 February 2025

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** BBC research highlights AI chatbots' struggles with news accuracy, including on vapes

A BBC investigation has found that leading AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Perplexity, frequently misrepresent news stories, introducing errors and distorting facts. In a study of 100 articles, more than half of AI-generated responses contained significant inaccuracies, while nearly a fifth of answers citing BBC content included factual mistakes.

The research identified multiple examples of misinformation, including outdated political leadership details, incorrect health advice, and misquoted news reports. In one example, Gemini in incorrectly stated that the NHS did not recommend the use of vapes as a smoking cessation aid. Microsoft's Copilot and Google's Gemini were found to have more substantial issues than OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Source: BBC News, 11 February 2025

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** Troubles in the NHS run deeper than leadership

Responding to the recent Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on failings in NHS leadership, this Guardian editorial argues that the challenges in the NHS are broader than NHS leadership.

The Guardian states that the ICB system is still relatively new and argues that it is unclear what transformation looks like for a system which is just getting started. The editorial also states that NHS bosses are stuck in the middle of a power struggle between ICB’s, who have a duty to work with local councils to improve public health, and Trusts who might be competing for the same influence and resources.

The editorial also highlights funding pressures resulting from pay and national insurances rises, inflation and the demands of an ageing population. The Guardian calls for more focus on addressing the challenges and complexities in the system, rather than criticising NHS leadership.

Source: The Guardian, 11 February 2025

See also: Future of the NHS: Health officials out of ideas and remarkably complacent, PAC finds ([link removed])
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** International
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** Ireland leads the way with mandatory alcohol warning labels

Ireland is set to become the first country to mandate comprehensive cancer warnings on alcohol products, with labelling laws coming into effect in 2026. This is part of a broader public health strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm, following the introduction of the Public Health Alcohol Act in 2018. While some measures were weakened during the legislative process, the labelling requirement remained intact despite industry opposition.

Scientific evidence linking alcohol consumption to various cancers, including liver and breast cancer, has been well established for decades, yet public awareness remains low. Advocates argue that mandatory warnings will help change perceptions of alcohol and encourage more cautious consumption, similar to past tobacco control measures. Critics, particularly within the alcohol industry, have opposed such regulations, often using political and trade mechanisms to delay action.

Several other countries, including the US, Canada, and Norway, are now considering similar labelling policies. Experts believe Ireland’s move could set a precedent for global alcohol regulation, influencing public health policies worldwide.

Source: Medscape, 11 February

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** Australia: Study suggests vaping regulations may influence smoking decline

Researchers at the University of Queensland have found that smoking rates in New Zealand have fallen twice as fast as in Australia, potentially due to differences in vaping regulations. Between 2016 and 2023, New Zealand’s smoking rate declined by 10% per year, compared to 5% in Australia, with the sharpest reductions seen among young adults and disadvantaged populations.

The study suggests that New Zealand’s more permissive approach to vaping may have encouraged smokers to switch, whereas Australia’s stricter regulations have fuelled an illicit market. Researchers argue that a balanced regulatory model—allowing controlled retail sales while restricting youth access—could accelerate smoking decline, particularly among high-risk groups, and reduce health inequalities.

Source: News Medical, 11 February 2025

See also: Mendelsohn, C. P., et al. (2025) Do the differing vaping and smoking trends in Australia and New Zealand reflect different regulatory policies? Addiction. ([link removed])
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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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