Nicotine doesn’t cause cancer—yet safer nicotine products like vapes and pouches remain under relentless attack. This, despite the role these products play in driving smoking rates to historic lows across the Western world. Why is the war on smoking turning into a war on nicotine? In this episode, Dr. Jonathan Foulds, Professor of Public Health Sciences and Psychiatry at Penn State University, joins us to unpack the contradictions at the heart of public health’s approach to nicotine.

The IEA paper discusses resistance to practical solutions due to political ideologies, focusing on harm reduction methods like nicotine pouches facing opposition, even from anti-smoking organizations. The report emphasizes the need for evidence-based policies over political biases to promote public health benefits. Media sensationalism and misinformation perpetuate unfounded fears around harm reduction products. The example of Sweden's success with snus and nicotine pouches highlights the potential benefits of evidence-driven approaches. Policymakers are urged to prioritize scientific evidence to support innovations in harm reduction and smoking cessation for a healthier future.

Are vaping studies destined to fail? Research on e-cigarette health effects often includes former smokers—skewing results and misleading the public. Dr. Arielle Selya explores why flawed study designs, academic incentives, and NIH funding pressures shape the science on vaping and tobacco harm reduction.

This commentary analyzes Australia’s increasingly strict nicotine regulations, likening them to a de facto War on Nicotine. While traditional tobacco control measures have successfully reduced smoking rates, recent policies—such as higher tobacco taxes and a vape ban—have unintentionally fueled a growing black market. This has led to increased criminal activity, systemic violence, and health risks from unregulated nicotine products. The paper argues that Australia’s current approach may be causing more harm than good, similar to the unintended effects of drug prohibition. It advocates for a shift toward harm reduction, tax reforms, and improved access to safer nicotine alternatives for a more effective policy.

The government plans to increase prices of luxury cigarettes to reduce consumption, combating the rise in sales following a tax hike on lower-tier cigarettes. Revenue from cigarettes has surged in February. Suggestions to combat tobacco use and smuggling were discussed at a recent meeting. The proposal to amend tobacco laws was supported, but discussions involving tobacco companies were debated due to WHO guidelines. The ban on e-cigarettes has not curbed their availability, with proposals to regulate their use to prevent revenue loss. Philip Morris applied to produce e-cigarettes in Bangladesh.

Three U.S. representatives urge Trump administration to address illegal Chinese e-cigarette smuggling, impacting American public health and youth vaping. Despite existing federal task forces, they advocate for stronger enforcement actions, emphasizing the need to seize unauthorized products. The congressmen highlight the contradiction of China banning flavored e-cigarettes domestically while exporting them globally. Recent seizures in Miami raised concerns about the safety and prevalence of these products, originating from China. The letter calls for utilizing all available enforcement tools to combat illicit vape sales in the U.S., stressing the urgency to protect public health.