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Shisha businesses fined for repeated smoking law breaches
Two shisha venues in Park Royal have been fined thousands of pounds after continuing to allow indoor smoking despite multiple warnings. Ealing Council officers found both establishments had violated smokefree legislation, with one also failing to register as a food business. The council took legal action following unannounced inspections where shisha use was confirmed, and in one case, access was initially blocked. The prosecutions are part of the council’s wider efforts to uphold public health and safety standards.
Source: Around Ealing, News, 4 September 2025
See also: ASH Wales - Shisha
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BBC investigation exposes risks of teens illegally buying THC vapes online
A BBC investigation has revealed that teenagers using social media to buy illegal vape liquids - believed to contain the illicit substance THC - are often unknowingly purchasing products laced with the more dangerous synthetic drug spice. Both spice and THC are illegal substances, with the former linked to severe health effects including hallucinations and heart problems. Research from the University of Bath into nearly 2,000 illegal vapes confiscated in schools found that around 10% contained spice. While social media platforms claim they rigorously monitor and remove drug-related content, concerns persist about how some young people are able to seek out and access these illegal products online.
Source: BBC News, 5 September 2025
See also: Andrews, et al. A Chemical and Digital Analysis of E-Cigarettes Seized from English Schools and the Social Media Marketplace. 2025.
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JTI: low-price Mayfair Gold increases sales in the UK
Japan Tobacco International (JTI) reports that Mayfair Gold has become the fastest-growing low-price ready-made cigarette brand in the UK with a 4.4% market share. Since its launch in September 2024, the brand has gained traction among independent retailers, owing to its low-value prices. JTI also highlights that Mayfair Gold’s hand rolling tobacco is projected to exceed £200 million in retail sales within its first year, reflecting rapid growth in both ready-made cigarette (RMC) and hand rolling tobacco segments. This growth has been in part due to their retailer engagement initiatives via the JTI360, including the Mayfair Gold Super Competition, which recently awarded a VIP cricket experience at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Source: Tobacco Reporter, 5 September 2025
Editorial note: This article has been included to provide insight into market trends and industry developments.
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Press release: ASH letter in response to Times article on illicit tobacco
This letter from Action on Smoking and Health is in response to the Times article: Packs of choice at shops addicted to selling illegal cigarettes (Sep 01). The article promotes tobacco industry narratives without disclosing that a key source, Will O’Reilly, is a paid consultant for Philip Morris International. The letter highlights how the tobacco industry is using concerns about illicit trade to undermine public health measures, particularly the proposed Tobacco and Vapes Bill. ASH also points to the most recent HMRC data, which shows a sharp decline in such sales over the past two decades, and concludes that supporting smokers to quit and working towards a smokefree generation is the most effective way to tackle illicit trade.
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Data Explorer: OHID Stop Smoking Service Data Explorer
This OHID data explorer has been developed to support commissioning and to assist with the monitoring of local strategies and planning. The explorer offers an analysis of smoking prevalence in different population groups, as well as an analysis of access to and experience of different local stop smoking services by population group.
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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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