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South Africa debates standardised tobacco packaging
South Africa’s parliament is considering new tobacco and vaping laws aimed at reducing smoking and tightening regulation. A key proposal would require tobacco products to be sold in standardised packaging, alongside other measures including smoking bans in all indoor and some outdoor public spaces, as well as advertising and promotion restrictions.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) and law enforcement have raised concerns about the impact that plain packaging could have on the illicit tobacco market. Law firm Adams & Adams noted that while similar measures have been upheld in other countries and linked to reduced smoking, South Africa’s experience of rising illegal trade during the Covid-era tobacco ban makes the issue particularly complex.
Source: BusinessTech, 11 January 2026
Editorial note: Evidence from jurisdictions that have already introduced standardised packaging, notably Australia and the UK, does not show a rise in illicit tobacco trade following implementation.
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Australia: Reflecting on the report that exposed the dangers of smoking
Sixty-two years ago, on 11 January 1964, a landmark US Surgeon General’s report was released confirming a direct link between smoking and lung cancer, reinforcing concerns that had been raised by health experts for decades. The report highlighted serious risks to both smokers and those exposed to second-hand smoke, and became a turning point in global public health policy.
Australian media coverage from 1964 shows how deeply smoking was embedded in everyday life at the time, with high consumption levels and government-backed support for tobacco farming despite growing scientific evidence of harm. At the same time, public funds were also being used to promote health education and discourage smoking, creating a policy tension that complicated government responses. Medical experts called for restrictions on cigarette advertising and stronger action to prevent young people from taking up smoking.
The report helped set the course for future tobacco control, paving the way for advertising limits, public education campaigns and smoking restrictions that followed in later decades.
Source: ABC News, 11 January 1964
See also: The 1964 Report on Smoking and Health
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Google scales back AI health summaries after accuracy concerns
Google has removed some AI-generated health summaries after an investigation found they were providing misleading medical information that could put users at risk. The summaries, shown prominently in search results, were found to give incomplete or incorrect guidance on blood test results, potentially causing people with serious conditions to delay seeking medical care.
Health and patient groups welcomed the removals but warned that similar AI responses can still appear when questions are phrased differently. Experts said the episode highlights broader concerns about the reliability of AI-generated health information and the need for clearer signposting to trusted, evidence-based sources.
Source: The Guardian, 11 January 2026
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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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