Author: Sarah Groom

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has issued a warning this Christmas about unauthorised additives in imported American snacks, sweets and fizzy drinks. These products, popularised by social media influencers on platforms like TikTok, are flooding UK high streets, posing serious health risks to children.

As Christmas approaches, American confectionery has become a must-have stocking filler, with children and teenagers driving demand. These brightly coloured sweets, snacks and drinks are heavily promoted by social media influencers on platforms like TikTok, where viral videos showcase ‘candy hauls’ and taste tests of imported products. The trend has grown in popularity in recent years, making these items a symbol of festive indulgence among younger audiences.

Convenience stores and high-street retailers have capitalised on this growing popularity, stocking these products in record numbers to meet seasonal demand. However, the allure of American candy often masks serious risks. Many of these imported products fail to meet UK safety and legal standards, lacking proper allergen declarations or containing unauthorised additives with known health risks.

Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team has been leading efforts to address the growing issue of unsafe American confectionery. During a recent pilot project funded by the Food Standards Agency, they seized 3,378 items valued at £8,500 from local shops. These products, often manufactured for foreign markets, contained unauthorised additives such as:

• Yellow 6 (E110): Found in corn-based snacks, linked to hyperactivity in children .
• Carrageenan: Used in jelly cups, posing a choking hazard for children. 
• EDTA: An additive prohibited in drinks, linked to developmental issues in animal studies.

The inspections revealed 89% failed to comply among shops, with common issues including:

• Products containing unauthorised additives. (1)
• Missing English labelling or allergen declarations. (2)
• Expired products still being sold. (3)

In addition to these findings, recent actions by Staffordshire’s Trading Standards team have uncovered further concerning statistics. Approximately 3,700 non-compliant products valued at £10,300 were confiscated during inspections, including:

• 1,750 cans/bottles of drinks containing EDTA.
• 1,545 packets of crisps containing Yellow 6 (E110).
• 400 packets of sweets containing mineral oil, bleached flour, or carrageenan.

These inspections also highlighted a 25% failure to comply rate in stores where American confectionery was identified and subsequently removed from shelves. These products, often referred to as ‘grey market goods’, are manufactured for foreign markets and fail to comply with UK food safety standards.

Operation Tootsie, an earlier Trading Standards initiative, further emphasised the scope of the problem, revealing a 77% failure rate among products purchased from national retailers and an even higher 91% failure rate among importers.

Dean Cooke, CTSI Lead Officer for Food, explained:

“Social media has amplified the demand for American sweets, with influencers on platforms like TikTok showcasing these colourful products in ways that appeal to children and teenagers. While this drives seasonal sales, it also creates a dangerous market for items that fail to meet UK safety standards. Retailers must take responsibility to ensure compliance, and parents need to be vigilant in checking labels to protect their children from potential harm.

“Importers, by law, have to re-label products with a UK/GB address. If there is any problem with the food, customers and Trading Standards may need to contact a legally responsible person in this country. If food does not have a UK/GB address on the label, we would advise for them not to buy it.”

Councillor Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, added:

“Our Trading Standards team works tirelessly to ensure that food sold in Staffordshire complies with safety standards. During this pilot project, we were alarmed to find over 3,300 unsafe items on sale, many of which contained unauthorised ingredients and were targeted at children. These items are often poorly labelled and can contain harmful additives, posing serious public health concerns. Parents need to stay alert and avoid products with unclear labelling, especially during the festive season.”

Consumers are urged to scrutinise labels for compliance. Items labelled with American weight measurements (ounces, fluid ounces) are likely imports. These products must adhere to UK food safety standards, including accurate allergen labelling and exclusion of unauthorised additives.

Trading Standards continue to tackle this growing issue through targeted operations, including working with national retailers and wholesalers. Anyone unsure about the safety of products in England and Wales can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133. You can get consumer advice applying to Northern Ireland by calling Consumerline on 0300 123 6262. Consumers In Scotland should contact Consumer Advice Scotland by calling 0808 164 6000.

Salford City Council Trading Standards have produced some really useful resources to help explain the issues with clear examples of what to look out for:

Consumer Advice leaflet

Business Advice Leaflet

Global Action Plan, organisers of Clean Air Day, have announced the return of Clean Air Night, the first of which took place in January of this year. 

Taking place on Wednesday 22nd January 2025, this year’s event will focus on the health damage caused by domestic wood burning.

The campaign takes a three-pronged attack on the subject:

1. Wood burning harms your wallet
2. Wood burning harms your health
3. Wood burning harms the planet

The report takes aim at the current implementation of Smoke Control areas (SCAs) which, it claims is fundamentally flawed.  Changes proposed include extended them to cover the whole of the UK – with exemptions for home with no alternative source of heating – toughening their scope to cover Ecodesign stoves and giving local authorities greater powers to enforce them.

Other measures suggested by the report are: 

• A public information campaign to increase understanding about the health harms of wood/solid fuel burning stoves and open fires.
• Increased regulation of the advertising of both wood burning stoves and fuel.
• Increased powers to enable local authorities to tackle the air pollution produced by domestic burning in a way they deem to be most appropriate for their local area

Larissa Lockwood, Director of Clean Air at Global Action Plan said: ‘Domestic burning is the biggest source of small particle air pollution in the UK and can cause significant harm to everyone’s health. Over the next five years, the government’s strategy needs to evolve from encouraging people to ‘burn better’ to phasing out this source of harmful air pollution, starting with those homes – most typically, but not exclusively, in our towns and cities – where a fire is a secondary and therefore unnecessary heating source. The report we are sharing today sets out a policy pathway to curb this growing pollution problem and protect public health and the planet, a journey that must start now.’

Read Action for Clean Air: evidence and resources on domestic burning here.

University of Birmingham researchers have found that biomass burning contributes significantly to fine particulate matter levels in the region.

The researchers found that biomass burning, primarily from woodburning activities, such as heating homes using woodburning stoves or logs on open fires, contributes significantly to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) levels in the region – accounting for some 20% of the total PM_2.5 mass.

Publishing their findings in Atmospheric Environment, the researchers call for targeted measures to mitigate health risks associated with PM_2.5 emissions from woodburning activities.

The experts found woodburning-related PM_2.5 concentrations seven times higher than those observed in 2008-2010. They also discovered that the impact of woodburning is particularly pronounced during winter months, contributing up to around half of PM_2.5 concentrations – a seasonal spike attributed to people heating their homes.

Lead author Dr Deepchandra Srivastava commented: “Our study highlights the significant increase in woodburning activity in the past 10 years, making it one of the most important sources of air pollution in the West Midlands.”

Lead investigator of the study, Professor Zongbo Shi commented: “We need to see immediate and coordinated actions at local and national levels to reduce wood burning, improve air quality – including enhancement and enforcement of smoke control areas to curb emissions from woodburning stoves and open fires. This has great potential to reduce PM_2.5-related health risks and decrease mortality in the region.”

The experts also recommend raising public awareness about the health impacts of woodburning and promoting best practices, such as burning only dry, seasoned wood and maintaining stoves properly, as crucial steps in reducing pollution.

Researchers are also calling for local regulations to be strengthened to promote the use of cleaner alternatives, such as electric heating or heat pumps. They say that, to further improve air quality in the West Midlands, wider national and international policy interventions are also needed to address regional and transboundary PM_2.5-related exposure.

Larissa Lockwood, Director of Clean Air at Global Action Plan said: “Lighting fires in our homes is now the largest source of toxic fine particle air pollution in the UK, presenting a range of serious health risks including heart and lung disease, diabetes, and dementia.

“Despite growing evidence of the UK’s burning problem – like this new research from the University of Birmingham – many people are still unaware that wood burning is harming our health and the planet.

“While many work to communicate these harms through moments such as Clean Air Night, we need urgent action from central government to share these harms with people across the UK and empower local authorities to tackle this growing source of air pollution in ways that are appropriate for their local communities. Join people across the country in learning the facts about wood burning this Clean Air Night (22 January 2025).”

This research was conducted as part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)-funded West Midlands Air Quality Improvement Programme (WM-Air), led by Professor William Bloss. Researchers analysed PM_2.5 samples collected in 2021 and 2022 at two urban background sites in Birmingham, utilizing advanced receptor modelling techniques to identify and quantify pollution sources.

UK Government have published United Kingdom Food Security Report report covering food safety in the supply chain. . There are five themes, including one on food safety and consumer confidence.

The data provide some insight into the safety of the UK food chain, consumer confidence and public trust in the UK food system. These insights help regulators, enforcement authorities and wider government to understand the agency of the consumer, and their ability to access and utilise food, which are important factors to consider in the UKFSR’s assessment of food security.

The overall findings are:

The results of UK consumer surveys indicate that the levels of trust in the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) have remained relatively high. Of the consumers surveyed by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland, a majority report that they trust them to do their job. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, reported levels of trust in the FSA ranged from 69% to 78% between July 2020 and July 2023. In Scotland, reported levels of trust ranged from 71% to 81% between December 2020 and December 2023.

he number of people reporting concerns about food prices has risen since 2021. In 2023, food prices became the top food-related prompted concern among UK consumers. 93% of respondents surveyed in Scotland were concerned about the cost of food and 72% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Due to differences in data collection, survey results from England, Wales and Northern Ireland cannot be compared with those from Scotland.

Approximately a quarter of all incidents reported over the last 3 years involved the identification of microorganisms. Approximately 26% of all incidents reported over the last 3 years related to the identification of microorganisms that have the potential to cause illness (such as Shiga toxin-producing E.coli, Listeria and Salmonella); and required action to be taken by authorities and food businesses to protect consumers.

There have generally remained relatively stable trends in laboratory-confirmed reports of pathogens that can cause foodborne gastrointestinal disease
Campylobacter spp. continued to be the most frequently reported bacterial pathogen causing infectious gastrointestinal disease in the UK, followed by non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. The proportional trends in causative agents, hospitalisation rates and associated foods implicated in the investigations were generally consistent with trends observed in the last decade with the exception of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) and other diarrhoeagenic E. coli (DEC) in 2023.

Of the businesses inspected, analysis indicates an upward trend in food business hygiene compliance. An average of 92.3% of inspected businesses in Scotland achieved a ‘Pass’ under the Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS) between 2020/21 and 2023/24. However, there is still a backlog in the number of businesses awaiting inspection.

A number of food and drink businesses in Scotland have been awarded funding from a new grant developed to support Scotland’s food service sector. The Healthier Food Service Fund is the latest industry support measure developed by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland’s Reformulation for Health Programme, in partnership with Food Standards Scotland (FSS).

The initiative supports small and medium-sized food and drink manufacturers supplying the out-of-home environment, which includes cafes, restaurants, and workplace dining. Recipients of the fund will receive up to £5,000, which is provided by FSS. This will be used in conjunction with the free reformulation support provided by the Reformulation for Health Programme. The programme is funded by the Scottish Government to help Scottish SME food and drink manufacturers make recipe adjustments which will make products healthier, helping to improve the nation’s dietary health.

This support package will help make healthier products available to consumers, by reducing fat, sugar, calories or salt, or increasing fibre, wholegrain, or fruit and vegetables in existing food and drink products.

Consumers across Scotland are set to benefit, with successful businesses spanning the nation. This includes Aberdeen-based Sandwich Larder which supplies sandwiches and snacks to NHS hospitals. While Brose Oats based in East Linton will use the funding to reduce the natural sugars and saturated fat in its chocolate oat milk, which is a firm favourite with their younger consumers. Edinburgh-based Saltire Patisserie will boost the health credentials of its popular bagel range by increasing the fibre and reducing the sodium content. These are supplied into the higher and further education sector, benefitting the dietary health of young adults across Scotland.

Meanwhile Malcolm Allan is set to reduce the sodium content of their much-loved steak pies and sausages, reviewing options for making the products healthier while maintaining the flavour and taste. Fans of bubble tea in Glasgow will benefit from the development of lower sugar boba-tea flavour options by Tempo Tea Bar. While Newton Stewart-based Rowan Glen will reduce the sugar content of yoghurts supplied to schools, while also exploring opportunities to add Vitamin D and fibre. Further businesses to receive support include well-loved Scottish brands Macsween of Edinburgh and Ayrshire-based Brownings the Bakers.

Joanne Burns, FDF Scotland’s Reformulation for Health Manager, said: 

“We are delighted to support businesses that supply the food service sector in overcoming the challenges of reformulation and in making healthier options easier for consumers. The Reformulation for Health Programme has supported innovative projects that have removed billions of calories from Scottish food products in line with public health goals and we look forward to seeing these businesses achieve similar success.”

Lesley Curtis, Public Health Nutrition Advisor at FSS, said: 

”Evidence shows that reformulation, for example, by reducing portion size or calories, is one of the most effective ways industry can help improve dietary health in Scotland. Food and drinks purchased when eating out or on the go foods tend to be higher in calories, fat, sugar and salt than those we buy from supermarkets.

“FSS is pleased to be supporting the food service sector in Scotland to engage in reformulating their products to ensure people can access healthier food when away from home, which can lead to a positive change to public health.”

If food and drink businesses are interested in finding out more about how FDF Scotland can support you with recipe reformulation please email reformulation@fdfscotland.org.uk.

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have published the annual EU One Health Zoonoses Report.

The main findings are, in 2023, listeriosis cases reached their highest level since 2007, while campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis remained the most frequently reported zoonotic diseases in the EU. Overall, reported cases of zoonotic diseases in humans increased, but foodborne outbreaks saw a slight decline.

The number of reported human cases of listeriosis (2,952) showed a consistent rise over the 2019–2023 period, hitting their highest levels since 2007. This might be linked to Europe’s ageing population — 21.3% of Europeans are now over 65 years old — which, in connection with the growing prevalence of chronic age-related diseases, raises the risk of severe symptoms in older age groups. Contaminated ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, such as cold smoked salmon, meat products and dairy products, are the most common source of infections. The latest data show that the proportion of samples from RTE food categories that exceed food safety contamination limits for Listeria monocytogenes ranged from 0.11% to 0.78%, with the highest level reported for fermented sausages.

Campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis were the most frequently reported zoonotic diseases in humans in the EU. In 2023, 148,181 campylobacteriosis cases were reported, marking an increase from 139,225 in 2022. After campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis was the second most reported gastrointestinal infection in humans, with 77,486 cases, compared to 65,478 cases in 2022.

The report also monitors foodborne outbreaks in the EU, defined as events during which at least two people contract the same illness from the same contaminated food. A total of 5,691 foodborne outbreaks were reported in 2023, registering a slight decrease compared to the previous year. However, the number of human cases, hospitalisations, and deaths increased, with fatalities reaching their highest level in a decade. Salmonella remained the leading cause of foodborne outbreaks, cases, hospitalisations and deaths. The increased use of whole genome sequencing improved the sensitivity of surveillance, enhancing the ability to detect outbreaks in Member States that implemented it.

One Health is a multi-sectoral approach that aims to balance and optimise the health of people, animals, plants and their shared environment, recognising their interconnection. By promoting joint actions, One Health brings together professionals from various disciplines to tackle complex health threats in an integrated manner..

An interactive map showing information about publicly-owned land, as well as land managed by Scottish Crown Estate, has been created.

The public land map allows anyone to view the location and range of much of the public land in Scotland. Users can explore information on individual land parcels, including its ownership and size.

The information has been brought together as a searchable map for the first time to include land managed by Crown Estate Scotland and the four main landowning public bodies in Scotland; Forestry and Land Scotland, NatureScot, Scottish Water and the Scottish Ministers Crofting and Farming Estate.

Public and Scottish Crown Estate managed land makes up 11% of Scotland – equivalent to around 857,000 hectares – making it a vital national asset in tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Rural Affairs and Land Reform Secretary Mairi Gougeon said:

“I would like to thank all of our partners who have helped develop this resource that will allow people to explore the range of public or Scottish Crown Estate land in Scotland. Given the scale of it, at more than 10% of Scotland, this land provides us with opportunities for increasing opportunities for agriculture, woodland creation and peatland restoration, which in tandem with the existing capacity for timber production and renewable energy generation, are crucial to reducing our emissions.

“This is a significant demonstration of our commitment to providing transparency of public land ownership in Scotland.”

Ronan O’Hara, Chief Executive of Crown Estate Scotland, said:

“Crown Estate Scotland’s land and assets – which are held in trust for the people of Scotland – represent both a crucial resource and a key part of the country’s natural landscape.

“Crown Estate Scotland wants these assets to be used for the long-term benefit of the people of Scotland and we are delighted to be as open and transparent about those assets as possible. This is to make sure people know what is being held on their behalf and what we are doing to protect those assets for the long term.”

Annual General Meeting

The Institute’s Annual General Meeting was held on Friday 22 November at the COSLA Conference Centre in Edinburgh with a good turnout from members, some in person and others online.  Lynn Crothers gave her Presidential Report reflecting on the previous year in her role as President with Martin Henry, Honorary Treasurer giving the financial update. 

Alan Morrison has now been installed as the Institute’s President for the coming year. Congratulations to Alan and all the newly elected Members of the Council.  You can view the Council Members here. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL – REHIS

Martin Henry and Lynn Crothers       

Alan Morrison, President

Prior to the AGM was the Institute’s annual Environmental Health Update where we heard from an excellent line up of speakers including Dr Margaret Douglas of Public Health Scotland speaking about Transport Poverty and Dr Maria Rossi speaking about “Developing a Population Health Framework for Scotland”. The presentations from the event will soon be available on the REHIS Members area. 

REHIS Annual Environmental Public Health and Housing Update, 27 November 2024

The annual Public Health and Housing update event is being held on 27 November.  Presenters include Dr Tim Everett speaking on the Effectiveness of Statutory Nuisance, Jim Wilson from Scottish Government speaking on Responsible Dog ownership, Dr Neil Cunningham speaking on the Impact of Climate Change on Public Health, Food & Security and also Robin Mitchell speaking on Cryptosporidium and Swimming Pools.  To book a place please click hereEnvironmental Public Health & Housing Update – REHIS

Coming soon – Investigative Interview Training, 28, 29 and 30 January 2025

The Institute is hosting an ‘Investigative Interview Training’ course in January, to be held in Stirling, which is being delivered jointly by George Barnsley and Applied Theatre.  More information on this event will be out very soon.

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) new report, Safer Lives, Stronger Nation, shows that as well as the tragic human loss, preventable accidents cost the UK a massive £12 billion every year due to lost working days and medical care.

Accidental deaths in the UK have reached an all-time high, with the rate increasing by 42% over the last decade, making them the second biggest killer of people under 40.

RoSPA is now calling on the Government to implement a National Accident Prevention Strategy to save lives, boost the economy and free up capacity in the NHS.

RoSPA’s report reveals that you are substantially more likely to suffer a serious accident today than you were 20 years ago. The rate of accidental deaths in the UK has increased by 42% in the last decade: accidents now take over 20,000 lives each year, which is more than the capacity of London’s O2 arena.

Accidental deaths have risen in Scotland (up 57%), England (up 40%), Wales (up 41%) and Northern Ireland (up 56%) since 2013. Accidents are the second biggest killer of people under 40 (after intentional injuries) and the most common cause of preventable death in children under 15.

New data from all four nations, collated by RoSPA, reveals that almost half (46%) of all accidental deaths (over 9,700 people) in 2022 resulted from falls. Over a quarter (26%) resulted from poisonings and 7% were because of a road traffic accident or transport related. Falls also accounted for nearly two thirds (61%) of all accident-related hospital admissions (almost 450,000 instances).
 
Accidents from crushing, striking, powered hand tools and machinery (known medically as ‘exposure to inanimate mechanical forces’) accounted for over one in 10 (12%) of all accident-related hospital admissions, and 7% were because of a road traffic accident or transport related.

New data from all four nations, collated by RoSPA, reveals that almost half (46%) of all accidental deaths (over 9,700 people) in 2022 resulted from falls. Over a quarter (26%) resulted from poisonings and 7% were because of a road traffic accident or transport related. Falls also accounted for nearly two thirds (61%) of all accident-related hospital admissions (almost 450,000 instances).
 
Accidents from crushing, striking, powered hand tools and machinery (known medically as ‘exposure to inanimate mechanical forces’) accounted for over one in 10 (12%) of all accident-related hospital admissions, and 7% were because of a road traffic accident or transport related.

Becky Hickman, Chief Executive at RoSPA, said: “The UK is facing an accident crisis. We are all substantially more likely to suffer a serious accident today than we were 20 years ago. We must take action now to stop further preventable deaths and serious injuries – accidents are avoidable and do not need to happen. Even those who have never been involved in an accident are still suffering, as increasing numbers of accidents are choking the UK economy and engulfing the NHS – taking up bed space, money, time and resources that could be directed to other serious illnesses.
 
“Our new report revealing the growing numbers and types of fatal and life-changing accidents across the UK unveils a new public health scandal. By implementing a National Accident Prevention Strategy to sit across government departments problems can be tackled at their core, with a joined-up approach to cover all types of accidents – whether they happen at home, on the road, at work or in public. For too long we have accepted the economic and social consequences of accidents, and we’re still paying the price. We are calling for a National Accident Prevention Strategy to make the UK a safer place to live.”

Dan Evans, Chief Executive at Speedy Hire who are partnering RoSPA in this campaign, said: “We take health and safety extremely seriously, and it is a source of immense pride that we have been recognised for our excellence in keeping colleagues and customers safe. For us, colleague safety doesn’t begin and end at the workplace door, which is why at Speedy Hire we take a ‘whole person, whole life’ approach. This has never been more important to do so, as RoSPA’s report reveals people are far more likely to suffer a serious accident at home than they are at work. Both the cost of accidents to peoples’ personal lives and to businesses is far too high, so we must act now to keep people safe and support economic growth.”
 
RoSPA is calling for the Government to seize the initiative and create a National Accident Prevention Strategy – a first for the UK. And, because it’s impossible to arrest a crisis like this without a plan, RoSPA proposes that the National Accident Prevention Strategy is the specific responsibility of an individual minister without a portfolio. This would enable the minister to treat accident prevention holistically, with the authority to attend the Cabinet and the ability to convene cross-departmental committees.
 
The National Accident Prevention Strategy must:

• Take a joined-up approach which cuts across departments and provides strategic leadership to guide policy making at national level
• Empower individual departments or agencies to craft and implement more detailed policies
• Propose ambitious and evidence-led but realistic policy interventions to reduce accident rates
• Cover the core sectors directly affecting the UK economy: home, work, product, leisure and transport
• Be forward-facing to address emerging challenges, like the climate crisis, the rise of AI and the UK’s ageing population
• Address inequalities like deprivation, age, ethnicity and region
• Take a four-nations approach to data sharing and collaboration
• Strengthen Government’s data collection and publishing processes relating to accidents.

Find out more and read RoSPA’s full report, ‘Safer Lives, Stronger Nation’ here.

Latest figures, published by Public Health Scotland (PHS) on 21 November, show laboratory reports of norovirus in Scotland have increased in recent weeks. Norovirus cases are known to peak in winter and so can be expected to rise over the season.

Public Health Scotland received 1629 laboratory reports for norovirus in Scotland up to the end of week 45 (week ending 17 November 2024), compared to 1,563 the previous week.

Norovirus is a common illness that can cause diarrhoea and vomiting. It can be very unpleasant, but most people make a full recovery within a couple of days.

The most effective way of helping to protect yourself from winter bugs, including norovirus, is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Handwashing with soap and water is best, as alcohol hand gels are not effective against norovirus. By keeping hands clean and encouraging children to practise good hand hygiene as well, we can significantly reduce the transmission of infections.

It is also important to minimise contact with others if you have norovirus. If you or your child have diarrhoea and vomiting, stay away from work, school or nursery until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped, and don’t prepare food for others in that time either.

Watch this helpful video to find out how to wash your hands properly.

More information on the symptoms of norovirus and what to do if you think you might have the infection is available on NHS Inform.

View the latest laboratory reports of norovirus in Scotland

The UK Government has announced Tobacco & Vapes legislation.

The bill includes measures to create a smoke-free generation, phasing out the sale of tobacco products across the UK to anyone aged 15 or younger this year, breaking the cycle of addiction and disadvantage. 

In addition, the UK Government will be given powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces – with children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals all being considered, subject to consultation.

The measures announced include:

• Rising age of sale for tobacco applying to anyone aged 15 or younger in 2024, intended to phase out the sale of tobacco at retail;
• Powers to extend indoor smoking ban to include certain outdoor areas with a focus on protecting children and those who are vulnerable (schools, playgrounds and hospitals mentioned), subject to consultation;
• Subject to consultation, the government is also considering extending restrictions in places that are currently smoke free to also become vape free, especially in areas where there are children and young adults.   
• A ban in the Bill on vape advertising and sponsorship, plus powers to restrict the flavours, display and packaging of all types of vapes as well as other nicotine products;
• Introduce new fixed penalty on the spot fines for retailers breaching regulations;

ASH Scotland has welcomed this strong set of proposals:ASH Scotland welcomes Tobacco and Vapes Bill’s strong measures to continue driving down tobacco use – ASH Scotland

Scottish Health Minister Jenni Minto welcomed the announcement, adding:

The Scottish Government agreed along with the other two devolved administrations and the UK Government to support a Tobacco and Vapes Bill following a 2023 public consultation. Smoking in indoor spaces and near hospitals is already banned, but the Bill proposes extending those measures to help achieve a tobacco-free Scotland by 2034. It will also require all businesses selling nicotine and herbal smoking products to join the existing register of tobacco and nicotine vapour retailers.

Argyll and Bute Council create Youtube video on what it’s like to work as an Environmental Health Officer for Argyll and Bute Council.

The video features Cameron McAuley, Chartered Environmental Health Officer taking you through day in life on an Environmental Health Officer and the vital work of the role to protect public health.

Watch the video here.