Updates from the SPECTRUM consortium in 2021. Challenging the influence of unhealthy commodity industries on public health policy New SPECTRUM briefing highlights tactics used by unhealthy commodity industries (UCIs) to influence the policy process. Headline trends from Alcohol Toolkit Study available on new website A new interactive website will allow users to explore national trends from the Alcohol Toolkit Study. Widespread support for calls to increase minimum unit price for alcohol to at least 65p SPECTRUM joins 28 organisations supporting calls from Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) to increase the minimum unit price of alcohol in Scotland. New report calls on UK Government to reverse the rise in obesity levels Bold new policies – such as a levy on the food industry and phasing out all forms of junk food marketing – are needed to improve the health of the population. Explore smoking behaviour across Scotland, Wales and England with new interactive website A new website will display headline trends from the recently expanded Smoking Toolkit Study. New study reveals common misunderstandings among tobacco and e-cigarette users related to the risk of harm from nicotine Those with serious mental health conditions were more likely to overemphasise the risk of harm from nicotine, potentially discouraging the switch from tobacco cigarettes to nicotine-containing products. Professor Linda Bauld joins the Scottish Government as Interim Chief Social Policy Adviser SPECTRUM Director, Professor Linda Bauld, will take up the post on a part time basis from the end of September 2021. SPECTRUM Director, Professor Linda Bauld, awarded OBE Professor Linda Bauld is awarded an OBE for services to guiding the public health response to, and public understanding of, COVID-19. Parliamentarians call on Government to end the tobacco epidemic by 2030 The All Parliamentary Party Group on Smoking and Health publishes its ‘Delivering a Smokefree 2030’ report today, commissioned from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), and researched and written with support from SPECTRUM. How have unhealthy commodity industry practices evolved in the pandemic? Building on preliminary work from 2020, SPECTRUM and the NCD Alliance invite you to share examples through our new survey. ASH and SPECTRUM respond to post implementation review on effectiveness of tobacco and related products legislation The joint submission covers both the effectiveness of the current regulations and proposals for how they could be strengthened, in order to achieve a Smokefree 2030. Exposure to tobacco, alcohol and junk food imagery in original films from video-on-demand services A new study describes the frequent use of alcohol, tobacco and high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) food imagery in Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video original films in the UK. Royal Scottish Geographical Society Medal for Professor Niamh Shortt Congratulations to Professor Niamh Shortt who has been awarded the Royal Scottish Geographical Society President’s Medal. New study questions whether pubs can effectively and consistently prevent COVID-19 transmission risks A new first-of-its-kind study has questioned whether pub operators can effectively and consistently prevent COVID-19 transmission – after researchers observed risks arising in licensed premises last summer. New Wellcome Open Letter introduces SPECTRUM An open letter has been published in Wellcome Open Research, introducing the SPECTRUM Consortium and its research priorities Conceptualising changes to tobacco and alcohol policy as affecting a single interlinked system New paper from SPECTRUM researchers at the Universities of Sheffield and Bath explores the different mechanisms that link tobacco and alcohol policy changes to their effects on smoking and drinking behaviour. < Explore news items from 2022 Explore news items from 2020 > This article was published on 2022-07-16
