Vaping in cars carrying children to be banned in England
Vaping in cars carrying anyone under 18 will be banned in England under government plans to reduce the harm caused by smoking and e-cigarettes,The move is included in the tobacco and vapes bill, which will also outlaw smoking, vaping and using heated tobacco in playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals,Smoking in cars containing children and young people up to the age of 18 has been illegal in England since 2015,The new legislation will extend that prohibition to the use of vapes and heated tobacco,“No child in a playground or hospital patient should suffer because someone else chooses to smoke,” said Wes Streeting, the health secretary.
“Secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer and we want to protect children and the sick from harm.”The Department of Health and Social Care said that the measures it is proposing are needed to protect health given the growing evidence about the dangers of heated tobacco and vaping.It said: “Evidence is emerging that emissions from heated tobacco and secondhand vapour from vapes pose health risks.At the same time, youth vaping has risen sharply in recent years, raising concerns about nicotine addiction and long-term health effects.”The bill does not include a ban on smoking outside pubs.
It also exempts smoking or vaping in care homes, hospices, mental health hospitals and residential schools.The measures are subject to the outcome of a public consultation, which launched on Friday and will run for 12 weeks until 8 May.The health campaign charity Action on Smoking and Health said ministers were right to explore the possibility of outlawing vaping in cars carrying under-18s.Caroline Cerny, ASH’s deputy chief executive, said: “This consultation, and the wider legislation it is part of, is focused on protecting children.Although exposure to secondhand vapour is significantly less harmful than secondhand smoke, it is reasonable to consider whether steps should be taken to minimise any potential risk – particularly in small, enclosed spaces such as cars where children are present.
“A balance needs to be struck in these regulations between protecting children and ensuring adults who smoke are still supported to switch to vapes.The consultation process should help the government strike that balance.”Prof Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, said: “People who do not smoke but who are exposed to secondhand smoke can suffer significant harmful effects on their health, including an increased risk of asthma, poor birth outcomes, several cancers, stroke and heart disease.”
AFL State of Origin return was no kick and giggle but spectre of injury hangs over its future | Jonathan Horn
Even for the most sceptical, there was never any question that the quality of skill in the State of Origin’s return game would be exceptional. There were three Brownlow medallists, two Coleman medallists, 29 All-Australians and 19 premiership players. Patrick Dangerfield and Max Gawn had 16 All-Australian blazers between them, more than the entire Western Australian squad combined.The doubt lay in how hard the players would go, and how seriously they would take it. How much would they be willing to risk? And how far down the well – in the middle of a Perth summer and with no serious game time in the legs for nearly five months – were they prepared to go?The game was heavily marketed, and backed with a lot of money from the WA government
Bankes and Nightingale win mixed team snowboard cross for GB’s first Olympic gold on snow
After 102 years at the Winter Olympics, Great Britain has finally won its first gold medal on snow after Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale took a thrilling victory in the mixed team snowboard cross.Few had pinned down Bankes and Nightingale as one of the favourites after poor performances in the individual events early in the week. Afterwards they had been so disappointed they had drowned their sorrows in the pub.But, on a glorious sunny day in Livigno, everything clicked for Team GB as Bankes overtook France’s Léa Casta on the final turn to win gold ahead of Italy, who came through to win silver, and France 2, who won bronze.Incredibly their victory meant it was also the first time that Britain has ever won two gold medals at a Winter Olympics
India beat Australia in rain-hit first women’s T20 cricket international – as it happened
Gah, we’re done here folks. The rain is still falling and has kiboshed India’s chase. They were sitting pretty at 50-1 in the sixth over. Shafali Verma looked particularly ominous, crunching two sixes (the only ones of the match) in her 21 before Molineux snared her with her very first ball as captain.Plenty to ponder for Sophie Molineux though as Australia don’t get that new captain bounce, quite the opposite
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We didn’t see Super Bowl LX coming, but some of us were early believers in Ben Johnson’s Bears, Trevor Lawrence’s Jaguars and the fallibility of the ChiefsIt doesn’t take long for the egg the start dripping from our faces. The early September headline accompanying our 2025 NFL predictions – Will it be Mahomes, Jackson or Allen in the Super Bowl? – was the ultimate hedge. After all, what were the odds that one of them wouldn’t emerge from the AFC?Then there was the reality. Mike Vrabel’s dramatic turnaround of New England. The Bears transforming from worst-to-first in the NFC North under Ben Johnson
Love is in the big air for Ukrainian skier after reaching Winter Olympics final
For most athletes, qualifying for your first Olympic final would be more than enough excitement for one night. But the Ukrainian freeskier Kateryna Kotsar’s evening was just getting started.Having made the big air final, Kotsar then wrote “freedom of memory” on her glove to protest against the ban of her compatriot Vladyslav Heraskevych for wearing images of slain athletes on his helmet. And a Valentine’s Day she will never forget took another surprise turn when her boyfriend, Bohdan Fashtryha, then dropped to one knee and proposed.“He said in Ukrainian, do I want to marry him, nothing else,” said Kotsar
Winter Olympics briefing: Pinheiro Braathen writes Brazilian fairytale
Hundreds of thousands of international tourists are expected to descend on Brazil over the next few days for carnival. But you didn’t need to go further than the Dolomites on Saturday to see somebody performing samba on a raised platform.Lucas Pinheiro Braathen entered Brazilian sporting folklore by snaring his country’s, and continent’s, first medal at a Winter Olympics – and a gold at that. The reigning champion, Marco Odermatt of Switzerland, who leaves these Games without a title after being fancied for multiple successes, was no match for Pinheiro Braathen in the men’s giant slalom in Bormio.Brazilian TV heralded this moment by overlaying on to its coverage the same music that ran alongside Ayrton Senna’s grand prix victories in Formula One
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