Author | Lightnews

Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · 7d

New analysis: Progress in reducing regular smoking among Māori, Pacific and European teens slowed after the emergence of vaping in Aotearoa. The added harm is more serious for Māori and Pacific youth, who have higher rates of smoking and vaping than their peers theconversation.com/vaping-has-s...

Vaping has slowed progress in cutting teen smoking in NZ – new study

More teenagers are now smoking regularly than if pre-vaping smoking trends had continued, widening inequities for Māori and Pacific youth.

theconversation.com

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public health guy 🦃 @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · Oct 7

they just slapped a surgeons general warning on RFK like he’s a pack of cigarettes

Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · Oct 7

“Secretary Kennedy is entitled to his views. But he is not entitled to put people’s health at risk.”

Six former surgeons general condemn RFK Jr.

Opinion | Six surgeons general: RFK Jr. is a threat to the health of Americans

It was our duty in office to warn of dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health @anzjph.bsky.social · Oct 1

🚭 Leadership is needed to tackle illicit tobacco in Australia.

A new commentary argues:
- Tobacco market is over-supplied & under-regulated
- Cutting excise isn’t the answer
- Stronger licensing & caps on retailers needed

Read 👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Image of man breaking cigarette with words "Policy incoherence: Leadership needed to combat illicit tobacco and end tobacco oversupply" "Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health"

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Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Sep 30

75 years...and yet we still allow this industry to operate

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Mike Daube @mikedaube.bsky.social · Sep 29

Tuesday marks 75 years since the historic September 30, 1950 Doll & Hill BMJ paper confirming smoking as a cause of lung cancer. For 75 years tobacco companies have been selling and promoting products they know are lethal when used as intended.

www.bmj.com/content/2/46...

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Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Sep 22

No need for science when pregnancy is your political football

Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Sep 17

Gobsmacking when this advice had such huge influence "Neither the Associate Minister nor the Minister's office staff had been able to confirm who had written tobacco policy notes that were held in the Minister's office in paper form and used for ministerial purposes,"
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Casey Costello breached rules by giving tobacco industry-friendly document to health officials

But the inquiry has still not revealed who wrote the 'mystery document', which claimed nicotine was no more harmful than caffeine.

www.rnz.co.nz

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The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Sep 16

Critics of the tobacco excise argue the tax has stopped working to further reduce smoking rates and should be lowered.

👉 Read the full story: theconversation.com/could-m...

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Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Sep 4

Insightful read. Aligns with World Bank view that tobacco tax rates have a smaller impact on the illicit tobacco market than effective enforcement, regulation, and supply chain controls. Exactly what we're calling for in Australia to combat illicit @ashorguk.bsky.social

ash.org.uk/media-centre...

From smuggling to spin: how tobacco giants hijacked the illicit trade debate - 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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APHA @apha.org · Sep 3

New statement: IDSA, APHA and partners call for RFK Jr. to resign: "Our country needs leadership that will promote open, honest dialogue — not disregard decades of lifesaving science, spread misinformation, reverse medical progress and decimate programs that keep us safe." bit.ly/3JOgDya

JOINT STATEMENT CALLING FOR SECRETARY KENNEDY RESIGNATION Infectious Diseases Society of America 

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

American Academy of HIV Medicine 

American Association of Immunologists

American Public Health Association

American Society for Microbiology

American Society for Virology

Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 

AVAC  

Camenzind Solutions LLC 

Fast-Track Cities Institute 

ID Care

International Association of Providers of AIDS Care 

NTM Info & Research 

Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society  

Peggy Lillis Foundation

Seattle Children’s Research Institute

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP)

Stop TB USA 

Treatment Action Group

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Maryn McKenna @marynmck.bsky.social · Sep 1

An extraordinary joint op-ed and plea by NINE former directors or acting directors of the CDC under both Democratic and Republican administrations, succinctly describing undermining of public health, and what’s needed now.
(gift link)

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...

Opinion | We Ran the C.D.C.: Kennedy Is Endangering Every American’s Health

www.nytimes.com

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Tama Leaver @tamaleaver.bsky.social · Sep 1

So, the technical report on Age Assurance (nee Verification) basically says no single tool works well enough to be relied on, and all the concerns about inaccuracy, bias and privacy flagged before the report all remain. 🙄

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Social media age verification possible but laden with risks, study warns

The study, which will inform the government's impending social media ban for under-16s, found several methods were viable, but no method was foolproof, with concerns over both accuracy and privacy.

www.abc.net.au

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Rebecca Ivers @rebeccaivers.bsky.social · Aug 26

We can’t be complacent here - time for some action to keep our community safe

Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · Aug 25

‘Blindsided’: father of Port Arthur massacre victims says NSW hunting bill will take a ‘jackhammer’ to gun control

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

‘Blindsided’: father of Port Arthur massacre victims says NSW hunting bill will take a ‘jackhammer’ to gun control

Walter Mikac, who lost his wife and two daughters in the 1996 shooting, warns that Labor-backed Shooters party bill will weaken national firearms agreement

www.theguardian.com

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Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Aug 12

Vape brands bypass regulations on marketing to young people by using global social media accounts
theconversation.com/vape-brands-...

Vape brands bypass regulations on marketing to young people by using global social media accounts

Vape manufacturers mirror traditional tobacco marketing, including stylish branding, flavours and sponsorships, to reach young people through social media.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Becky Freeman

The Medical Journal of Australia @mja.com.au · Aug 1

🔔 This week in InSight+

Australia’s progress in reducing adolescent smoking has slowed — vaping may be why

buff.ly/pEqUuQ5

@drbfreeman.bsky.social
@martinmckee.bsky.social
@simonchapman.bsky.social

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Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Jul 28

Excellent news - very pleased to see this action on illicit tobacco from the NSW government www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/2...

News - Suite of tough new illegal tobacco measures unveiled

The NSW Government will introduce tough new laws to crackdown on the sale of illicit tobacco and illegal vaping goods across the state.

www.health.nsw.gov.au

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Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Jul 27

What happened to teen smoking rates in Australia as vaping emerged? New analysis out today insightplus.mja.com.au/2025/29/aust...

Australia’s progress in reducing adolescent smoking has slowed — vaping may be why - InSight+

In October last year, we published findings from our retrospective cohort analysis of data from the Generation Vape study in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, accompanied by an ...

insightplus.mja.com.au

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Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Jul 22

Very welcome news. I’m very encouraged to see cross party support to seriously tackle illicit tobacco use in NSW www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw...

Eviction, jail and $1.5 million fines for illegal tobacco sellers

Landlords would be given the power to evict tenants caught selling illegal cigarettes in a plan to fight the thriving tobacco black market.

www.smh.com.au

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Martin McKee @martinmckee.bsky.social · Jul 6

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Sam Egger and I raise serious concerns about a recent systematic review in Addiction, which suggests that e-cigarettes don’t lead to youth smoking. We argue the review's risk of bias (ROB) assessments are so deeply flawed that it can’t be relied on. 👇

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The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Jul 4

Australia’s new lung cancer screen program further disadvantages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who are already at increased risk of lung cancer.

Australia’s new lung cancer screening program has chosen simplicity over equity, and we’re concerned

theconversation.com

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Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Jul 2

Beautifully written paper on how young women in a rural Alberta community 🇨🇦 navigated planning for their future. I’m from a similar area and I was really struck by how alike my experience was…way back in the 90’s academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

A qualitative study of how young women in a rural Canadian community plan their futures

Abstract. Education and employment are well-acknowledged social determinants of health. However, little is known about how young women in rural, resource-d

academic.oup.com

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Simon Chapman AO @simonchapman.bsky.social · Jun 30

My long time colleague @drbfreeman.bsky.social plain speaking on the NSW tobacco retail license starting today. www.smh.com.au/national/i-c... All the illegal retailers already break the law. Many will figure so what? Unless they are inspected & handed massive fines.

I can see seven smokes shops from my bus stop - governments must act

Although Australia is a world leader in smoking cessation, we’ve done very little to control how and where tobacco is sold. These shops are everywhere.

www.smh.com.au

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Prof Samantha Thomas @docsamantha.bsky.social · Jun 5

I’m delighted that we have seen an increase in the 2024 CiteScore / rankings for @healthpromint.bsky.social !

Our CiteScore is up to 5.0 & we have risen 7 places in Health (Social Science) & 14 places in Public Health rankings. 👏👏👏

Huge thanks to the editorial team!

academic.oup.com/heapro

Health Promotion International | Oxford Academic

Publishes papers on major themes and innovations in the health promotion field. The journal publishes contributions from sectors beyond health, and seeks to promote theoretical, methodological, and ac...

academic.oup.com

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Becky Freeman @drbfreeman.bsky.social · Jun 4

@jdkite.bsky.social of interest to you

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