Latest published articles from Smoke Free News about Awareness.
More than 1 million people aged 16 and over in Great Britain who had never smoked said they used e-cigarettes in 2025, according to the UK Office for National Statistics. The finding comes as cigarette smoking continued to decline.
Simulation studies in the United States, Germany and Russia project that switching from cigarettes to nicotine vaping products could prevent premature deaths and save life-years. The estimates vary widely and depend on assumptions about vaping’s relative risks, how many smokers switch and whether non-smokers take up vaping.
People who vape may still be treated as smokers when applying for life insurance in South Africa. The distinction matters: the source article says failing to disclose nicotine or vaping use could lead to policy complications or disputes over a claim.
A systematic review reported by Nature links vaping among children and young people with nicotine dependence, several health concerns and a greater likelihood of later smoking cigarettes. The authors distinguish these risks from the potential use of e-cigarettes by established adult smokers trying to quit.
People with lung conditions and local organisations in Guernsey are calling for vaping to be restricted in and around public venues. Indoor smoking has been illegal in most places such as bars and restaurants since 2005, but indoor vaping is currently left to each business to decide.
Health experts in Pakistan warn that unhealthy diets and too little physical activity can put children and young people at risk of heart disease and other non-communicable illnesses later in life. The message of World Heart Day, the article argues, should therefore extend beyond the observance and focus on prevention from an early age.
An investigation reported by the Sydney Morning Herald found hundreds of advertisements for illegal tobacco and vape products on TikTok and Meta platforms in Australia. The companies said they had removed some ads and accounts, but the report said many Alibarbar vape ads remained active after Meta was contacted.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has decided to classify 6-methylnicotine as a prohibited substance under the Poisons Standard from 1 October 2026. The regulator says the substance’s toxicity, potential to cause dependence and use in products marketed as “nicotine-free” warrant stronger restrictions.
The five A’s give clinicians and healthcare teams a practical way to identify tobacco use, encourage quitting and support patients through a quit attempt. The approach covers asking about tobacco use, advising patients to quit, assessing readiness, assisting with a quit plan and arranging follow-up.
Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control has called for further investigation into the reported theft of 2,828 cartons of cigarettes and wider revenue losses in the tobacco sector. The committee questioned why lower-ranking officials were named in the FIR while senior officers and factory owners were not fully held accountable.
Taiwan plans to increase penalties for illegally bringing e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and related components into the country. The proposed customs changes would remove a low-value exemption and apply higher fines to violations involving these products.
A Senate committee has recommended that tobacco be formally declared a crop and that a policy be prepared to protect growers, while also raising concerns about unsold tobacco in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Germany’s parliament has begun reviewing a government proposal to increase taxes on cigarettes, heated tobacco, e-liquids, fine-cut tobacco and other tobacco products each year from 2027 through 2030. The plan would raise the estimated average retail price of a 20-cigarette pack to €11.36 by 2030, while tobacco industry groups warn that larger increases could affect legal-market sales and illicit trade.
