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** 13 December 2022
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** UK
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** Could ban on flavoured vapes curb use among young people? (#1)
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** Dudley shops selling illegal tobacco shut down for three months (#2)
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** International
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** New Zealand passes world-first tobacco law to ban smoking for next generation (#3)
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** Supreme Court upholds California ban on flavoured tobacco (#4)
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** Parliamentary activity
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** Written questions (#5)
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** UK
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** Could ban on flavoured vapes curb use among young people?
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** Dr Jasmine Khouja, Senior Research Associate in Smoking Studies at Bristol Medical School, has been researching whether a ban on flavoured vapes - to be replaced with flavourless or menthol alternatives, may curb disposable e-cigarette use in young people.

Some experts believe the large range of flavoured disposable vapes is a factor in the rise in popularity of vaping among younger people.

“Sweet flavours, fruity flavours, flavours with an ice-menthol hit seem to be quite popular at the moment", explains Dr Khouja. “There are constantly new products being brought out and then constant shifts in popularity, depending on brands and products.”

Other proposals outlined at the E-Cigarette Summit held in London last week include banning the sale to under-21s, tougher restrictions on marketing of vapes and changing the way they’re packaged.

Source: ITV News, 12 December 2022
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** Dudley shops selling illegal tobacco shut down for three months

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** Shops in the Black Country caught selling illegal tobacco have been forced to shut. Bosses at Dudley Mini Market, UK Zabka and Ella Mini Market have been told they must close for the next three months.

Dudley Mini Market was ordered to shut its doors during a hearing at Dudley Magistrates' Court on 30^th November. It came following a number of complaints over the sale of illegal tobacco and vaping products. Thirteen seizures of items have been made since the business opened in 2019, Dudley Council said. A total of 14 seizures took place at UK Zabka, with the shop boss told last month that council officers intended to shut down the business. The business owner then opened Ella Mini Market next door as part of efforts to evade the closure order, magistrates were told. Trading standards officers invaded Ella Mini Market just three hours after it opened and seized further illegal tobacco hidden behind a fake wall.

Magistrates agreed this was an attempt to 'circumvent the original business closure', the council added. Councillor Ian Bevan, Dudley Council's cabinet member for public health, said: "This is an excellent result that shows we will not tolerate illegitimate businesses using underhanded tactics in order to prevent enforcement action. Our trading standards team worked very efficiently to close all three shops, including Ella Mini Market, which had been opened specifically to sell these illegal goods. This closure order sends a clear message that we will do all we can to keep our communities safe and ensure fair competition for legitimate businesses in our borough."

Source: Birmingham Live, 10 December 2022
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** International
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** New Zealand passes world-first tobacco law to ban smoking for next generation

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** New Zealand has introduced a steadily rising smoking age to stop those aged 14 and under from ever being able to legally buy cigarettes in world-first legislation to outlaw smoking for the next generation.

Associate health minister Ayesha Verrall said at the law’s passing on Tuesday: “Thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives and the health system will be $5bn better off from not needing to treat the illnesses caused by smoking, such as numerous types of cancer, heart attacks, strokes, amputations.”

New Zealand is believed to be the first country in the world to implement the annually rising smoking age, ensuring tobacco cannot be sold to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.

The legislation will be accompanied by a slew of other measures to make smoking less affordable and accessible, including dramatically reducing the legal amount of nicotine in tobacco products and forcing them to be sold only through specialty tobacco stores, rather than corner stores and supermarkets. The country has also increased funding for health services and campaigns, and rolled out quitting services specifically for Māori and Pacific communities.

Source: The Guardian, 13 December 2022
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** Supreme Court upholds California ban on flavoured tobacco
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** Yesterday, the US Supreme Court rejected a bid from the tobacco industry to block a California ban on flavoured tobacco products.

The ban, or Proposition 31, was overwhelmingly approved by voters in November and will prohibit the sale of most flavoured tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes.

The emergency plea was brought by R.J. Reynolds, a division of British American Tobacco, and other major tobacco companies seeking to stop or delay the measure, which is set to take effect next week.

The law was first passed two years ago, but tobacco companies successfully funded a campaign to block its implementation and put the issue on this year’s statewide ballot. Justices, however, upheld the ban without explanation or any public dissent.

Once the statewide law takes effect, California will become the second state in the US, after Massachusetts, to enact a statewide ban.

Source: CNBC, 12 December 2022
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** Parliamentary activity
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** Written questions

PQ1: Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015

Asked by Stella Creasy, Labour, Walthamstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Retained EU Law Bill, what plans the Government has to (a) replace, (b) revoke or (c) retain the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015.

Answered by Neil O'Brien, Minister for Primary Care and Public Health

Through the Retained EU Law (Reform and Revocation) Bill, the Government is currently reviewing which retained European Union law should be repealed, reformed or preserved. The Government continues to work with a range of stakeholders to ensure that any such reforms maintain current standards in public health.

Source: Hansard, 12 December 2022
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** PQ2: Excise Duties and VAT: Tobacco

Asked by Damian Green, Conservative, Ashford

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much excise duty and VAT the Government collected from the sale of tobacco products in each financial year since 2018-19.

Answered by James Cartlidge, Conservative, South Suffolk

Data regarding receipts for tobacco duty can be found in the publication HMRC tax receipts and National Insurance contributions for the UK. Refer to column Y in the statistics table.

An extract is provided below showing Tobacco duties since 2018 to 2019. Figures are in £millions.

Financial year Tobacco Duties (£m)
2018 to 2019 9,290
2019 to 2020 8,804
2020 to 2021 9,964
2021 to 2022 10,278

With regards to VAT receipts on tobacco products, the information is not available. HMRC does not hold information on VAT revenue from specific products or services, including VAT on tobacco products. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Source: Hansard, 12 December 2022
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