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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 5h

Can’t read more than the extract here Duncan but why single out Leigh Day? Lawyers for industry are just as litigious and their impact on civil servants can be just as chilling to policy change. Tobacco companies take governments to court exactly for this purpose.

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Reposted by Hazel Cheeseman

Greg Fell @felly500.bsky.social · 17h

www.adph.org.uk/2025/10/alco...

Alcohol licensing reforms

From a public health point of view, it's... well a little disappointing...

Its almost as if there wasn't some concern about high and rising alcohol harm and it's impact on families, UKPLC and the NHS

Alcohol licensing reforms - ADPH

www.adph.org.uk

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Reposted by Hazel Cheeseman

Anna Clarke @annaclarke.bsky.social · 18h

I was poorer when I was younger, but the price of alcohol definitely deterred me from drinking then in a way it doesn't now. Just looked it up and the tax has fallen in real terms, which will be part of the reason drink is now cheaper.

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 18h

what about the price difference between on and off trade - must be a decisive factor?

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 18h

This might well be good data on the volume sold but doesn't tell us loads about the distribution in the population. Perfectly possible that those of us in the 40+ category [cough] are doing more of our share of heavy lifting on the units front.

Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 18h

Seems like the solution to the "problem" of people not going to the pub could be to tax off-trade alcohol a bit more and narrow the price difference and incentives a return to the pub while also raising revenue. Would likely have health gains too.

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 21h

Fun(ish) fact King Charles I issued the first licences for selling tobacco. We come full circle under King Charles III - though this time purpose is to improve public health rather than raise revenue to get one over on an unruly parliament (or at least that's what it says in the call for evidence)

Action on Smoking Health (UK) @ashorguk.bsky.social · 21h

🎙️Listen to @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social on BBC Breakfast discussing the Government’s call for evidence on a retail licensing scheme for tobacco and vapes.
🚭Currently, you don't need a license to sell tobacco. This will make it easier for enforcement to take take action against non-compliant retailers

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 1d

Responsible media outlets need to understand the role they are playing in this - and stop it.

Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 1d

The tobacco industry have a particular agenda when they engage with the media. It is to shape opinion to allow them to continue to make a profit. This has profound consequences for people who it leaves still smoking and society who picks up the tab.

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 1d

PMI paid the Spectator for this on 'cancel culture' in science. Big Tobacco has spent 50+ years funding 'science' that downplays health impact of smoking purely for commercial interests. That kind of track record should get you cancelled www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/defe...

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Reposted by Hazel Cheeseman

Action on Smoking Health (UK) @ashorguk.bsky.social · 1d

We are appalled that public service broadcaster the BBC continues to provide a platform for tobacco industry giant, British American Tobacco, to lobby against the Tobacco & Vapes Bill.
So we fixed the headline for them...

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Reposted by Hazel Cheeseman

Action on Smoking Health (UK) @ashorguk.bsky.social · 1d

Govt launches call for evidence to shape new regulations on key aspects of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
www.independent.co.uk/news/busines...

Shops to require licence to sell vapes under proposed crackdown on rogue traders

A licensing system would ‘root out’ rogue operators and give enforcement officers stronger powers to shut them down, the Government said.

www.independent.co.uk

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 1d

Who are these psychopaths with 1 tab open?

YouGov @yougov.co.uk · 1d

How many browsing tabs do you typically have open?*

1: 6%
2-5: 54%
6-10: 14%
11-20: 8%
21-30: 2%
More than 30: 3%

*across all windows, on desktop/laptop

yougov.co.uk/topics/techn...

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 2d

It doesn't mean the death of hospitality (it is apparently possible to socialise without being drunk I've heard) and it doesn't mean obliterating alcohol from society altogether. But perhaps just a little more moderation would be good for all of us?

Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 2d

Alcohol is a major cause of harm to health and society. Taking actions to create workplaces and communities where we consume less is basically good for everyone other than people like CEO of Diagio.

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 2d

In the meantime @ippr.org reports that young people in the UK feel pressured to drink alcohol at work with knock on effects for productivity. Perhaps we could create work places that don't make our young people (or anyone else) feel compelled to have a drink? www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

New taxes could solve job-related drinking ‘productivity crisis’

IPPR also said the government should take action on the ‘cheapest, strongest drinks which cause the most harm’

www.independent.co.uk

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 2d

Fewer young Europeans are drinking alcohol in part due to health concerns but the CEO of Diagio isn't buying it. Definitely not that people feel better when they don't consume your product... www.reuters.com/business/eur...

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 3d

A cigarette 'filter' does not filter to make smoking less harmful. It was an incredible tobacco industry lie to keep people smoking when the evidence of how lethal it was started to emerge, a lie that has endured into the 21st C. Any suggestions for a more accurate word to describe them?

Reposted by Hazel Cheeseman

Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist @nameshiv.bsky.social · 5d

The Ig Nobel is incredible , one year an Indian guy won it for calculating the average surface area of an elephant and during his acceptance they had an elephant hold up a sign with the surface area of the scientist on it, they do showbiz better than the Oscars

Jeffrey J. Hall @mrjeffu.bsky.social · 21d

Video: a Japanese scientist was attacked by flies while giving the acceptance speech for his Ig Nobel Prize-winning research paper that proved painting Zebra-like stripes on cows led to a decrease in biting fly attacks.

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Reposted by Hazel Cheeseman

JazzReads📚 @jazzreads.bsky.social · 11d

So exhausting..

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 14d

Our PR from the summer: ash.org.uk/media-centre...

New Data on Vaping Uncovers a Public Health Disconnect - ASH

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a campaigning public health charity that works to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco.

ash.org.uk

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 14d

Great article from @iansample.bsky.social. Starts with info on the significant harms to oral health from smoking and moves on to give nuanced assessment of the more limited evidence on vaping. If all coverage was like this then a majority of Brits would not think that vaping was as bad as smoking.

Action on Smoking Health (UK) @ashorguk.bsky.social · 14d

There's been a few articles this week about vaping and oral health. This excellent article sets out the facts and crucially also highlights the extreme damage that smoking does to oral health.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

What is the impact of vaping on teeth and oral health?

We look at the science behind vaping and the claims it causes tooth decay, gum disease and dry mouth

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Hazel Cheeseman

Rob Davies @byrobdavies.bsky.social · 14d

Here's the latest in our series on "adult gaming centres", high street 24hr slot machine shops.

Today shop workers and gamblers tell us stories of human misery. The govt is giving councils more power to stop "unwanted" shops. Is it enough? 🧵

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

‘I can’t escape these machines’: addicts tell of huge losses from slot gambling

Councils given more powers to stop ‘unwanted’ sites opening, as number of UK slot machines exceeds 30,000

www.theguardian.com

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 17d

Lets circulate some well researched content on a day when complete nonsense is being thrown around

Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 17d

Earlier this year, I spent considerable time working on an essay for @ftweekend.com about issues around autism: www.ft.com/content/d1ba... I read a great deal about the condition and spoke to several experts. There is no indication whatever that use of a single drug in pregnancy is linked to it.

In search of a diagnosis

How my son’s autism assessment sent me on an investigation into my own past

www.ft.com

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Hazel Cheeseman @hazelcheeseman.bsky.social · 17d

What a world. As if you don't have enough to be stressed about when your pregnant without having to navigate this nonsense.

Kit Yates @kityates.bsky.social · 17d

“Don’t pay any attention to what Trump says about medicine’, Wes Streeting tells Britons”

‘Don’t pay any attention to what Trump says about medicine’, Wes Streeting tells Britons – UK politics live

Medical experts concerned alarms after US president warned pregnant women to avoid taking Tylenol in move contradicted by research

www.theguardian.com

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