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** 26 January 2026
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** UK
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** Bolton public health leader recognised for reducing smoking rates (#1)
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** Convenience stores report vaping sales slump after shift away from disposables (#2)
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** Northern Ireland: Diane Dodds urges UK government to set aside Windsor Framework over tobacco law (#3)
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** Doctors report rising obesity among very young children (#4)
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** International
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** Starting smoking young linked to higher cardiovascular risks (#5)
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** Robert F. Kennedy Jr links tobacco firms’ past food industry role to US health crisis (#6)
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** Concerns raised over sources used by Google’s AI health summaries (#7)
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** UK
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** Bolton public health leader recognised for reducing smoking rates

A senior figure in Bolton’s stop-smoking services has received a British Empire Medal in recognition of her contribution to public health, following record lows in local smoking rates. Elizabeth Woodworth, who leads smoking cessation work at ABL Health, played a key role in expanding specialist services, training healthcare professionals and supporting thousands of people to quit smoking across Bolton and neighbouring boroughs. Recent figures show a marked decline in adult smoking prevalence during her leadership, which in Bolton dropped from 14.4 per cent in 2023 to 11.5 per cent in the latest 2024 data, alongside similar improvements in Oldham and Stockport. Colleagues have credited her work with helping to reduce health inequalities and strengthen preventative healthcare in deprived communities.

Source: The Bolton News, 26 January 2026
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** Convenience stores report vaping sales slump after shift away from disposables

Retail sales analyst Talysis says convenience stores saw a downturn in tobacco and “smoking alternatives” during 2025, with most of the fall attributed to cigarettes and tobacco, while vape value sales are down 12.7%.

The firm argues that the move away from disposable vapes has changed buying patterns, with customers able to buy refill pods that deliver similar quantities for roughly the same spend.

Source: Talking Retail, 23 January 2026

Editorial note: Evidence from a survey commissioned by the Grocer ([link removed]) suggests that many users are now reusing products rather than purchasing new ones.

See also: Are tobacco and nicotine product sales falling? ([link removed]) – ASH | Vaping: what you need to know ([link removed]) - ASH
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** Northern Ireland: Diane Dodds urges UK government to set aside Windsor Framework over tobacco law

Diane Dodds, DUP MLA and member of Stormont’s health committee, has written to the Northern Ireland secretary seeking firm assurances that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will apply in Northern Ireland. Although the legislation has cross-party support at Stormont and was approved through a legislative consent motion, she has warned that it could be blocked if the European Commission objects under the Windsor Framework. Dodds has called on the UK government to disapply the framework if necessary to ensure the law takes effect on the same basis as in Great Britain. A UK Government spokesperson states that the bill is compatible with domestic and international obligations and will apply in Northern Ireland.

Source: News Letter, 24 January 2026

Editorial note: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is currently being reviewed under the EU Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS). This is due to the Bill applying in Northern Ireland which is still subject to some EU regulations as a result of the Windsor Framework. Due to the objections raised by Greece, Slovakia, Romania, Czechia, Italy, and Portugal the TRIS process has been extended to 18th February 2026.

The UK government has said: “The Technical Regulatory Information System (TRIS) notification is a routine procedure required under the Windsor Framework. It is not an approval process. “Receiving detailed opinions are a part of the TRIS process. The Government’s position remains that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will apply in Northern Ireland and is consistent with both our domestic and international obligations.”

See also: Does the Smokefree Generation Really Break EU Law? Industry vs Evidence ([link removed]) - ASH

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** Doctors report rising obesity among very young children

A survey of UK family doctors has found that obesity is increasingly being identified in very young children, with nearly one in four GPs reporting cases among those aged four and under, and around half encountering the condition in children up to the age of seven.

The findings highlight growing concern within primary care about the scale of childhood obesity and its long-term implications for the NHS. Many GPs said they struggle to raise the issue with families, fearing emotional distress, stigma or complaints, particularly given the complex social and economic factors that contribute to excess weight.
Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said the findings showed children were being failed at a very early age and called for prevention to begin in the earliest years, alongside healthier food products, tighter restrictions on marketing and better support for families.

The survey also found widespread concern about the misuse of weight loss injections by adults who do not meet clinical criteria, often obtained through private providers.

Source: The Guardian, 25 January 2026

Editorial note: Media stories covering prevention of ill-health are being included in ASH Daily News because policy change in these areas is indicative of the Government’s position on prevention and their attitudes to harm-causing industries
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** International
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** Starting smoking young linked to higher cardiovascular risks

A nationwide population-based study in Korea has found that people who take up smoking before the age of 20 face significantly higher risks of heart attack, stroke and early death later in life than those who begin smoking as adults, even when their total lifetime smoking exposure is similar.

Researchers analysed health data from more than 9.2 million adults and found that nearly a quarter of smokers had started before the age of 20. Those who started smoking before 20 and accumulated heavy lifetime exposure had more than double the risk of heart attack than non-smokers, alongside higher risks of stroke and death.
These elevated risks were greater than those seen in smokers with similar pack-year exposure who began smoking later.

The authors say the findings highlight the importance of preventing smoking uptake during adolescence to reduce long-term disease and premature mortality.

Source: News-Medical, 25 January 2026

See also: Koh, J.H., Han, K., Kim, M. et al. Early age at smoking initiation is associated with elevated cardiovascular disease and mortality risk in a nationwide population-based cohort ([link removed]) . Sci Rep 2026;16, 3063. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-88253-4
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** Robert F. Kennedy Jr links tobacco firms’ past food industry role to US health crisis

US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has attributed a significant part of the US’s obesity and chronic disease burden to the historic expansion of major tobacco companies into the processed food market. He argues that, under regulatory pressure over cigarettes, these corporations acquired large food brands and applied techniques developed in tobacco research to make ultra-processed foods highly appealing and hard to resist, which he says has encouraged overconsumption and poor diets. Kennedy emphasised that this corporate history of product engineering and marketing has had long-lasting effects on public health and is central to his broader push for healthier national eating habits.

Source: Times of India, 26 January 2026
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** Concerns raised over sources used by Google’s AI health summaries

Research into Google’s AI-generated search summaries has found that YouTube is the most frequently cited source when users search for health information, raising questions about how medical content is selected. The study analysed more than 50,000 health-related searches conducted in Germany and found that video content was referenced more often than government health portals, hospitals or academic institutions, despite the country’s tightly regulated healthcare system. Researchers said this was notable because YouTube is a general video platform that allows uploads from both qualified medical professionals and individuals without clinical training. Google said AI Overviews are designed to surface high-quality information from reputable sources across different formats, and pointed out that licensed medical professionals and health organisations also publish content on YouTube.

Source: The Guardian, 24 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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