Nicotine Science and Policy
By Harry Shapiro Aug. 13, 2026
Harry's blog 134: Filtering out lies and misinformation
The only major global journal focused on harm reduction has gone bust. Since 2017, Filter has advocated through journalism for rational and compassionate approaches to drug use, drug policy and human rights, while also standing out for its coverage of tobacco harm reduction. Its closure is a significant loss - particularly at a time when well-funded opponents of tobacco harm reduction continue to thrive.
September 18, 2026 by linknky.com
Opinion: From habit to health – new paths forward for veterans who smoke
Veterans who smoke need support that recognises habit, stress, trauma and dependence rather than reducing quitting to willpower. Many have tried to stop before, and some may need lower-risk nicotine options that meet them where they are. Harm reduction can create a more realistic path from habit to health by reducing exposure to combustion while keeping people engaged in care. Better cessation support should be practical, respectful and tailored to the lives of those it aims to help.
14.10% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 39.8 million current smokers in United States 17.10% of men are current smokers but only 11.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
September 18, 2026 by gfn.tv
When Happens When Moral Panic Drives Nicotine Policy? | GFN Interviews #96
Moral panic makes nicotine policy louder but not smarter. It pushes debate towards fear, urgency and symbolic restriction, while the harder questions about smoking, relative risk and consumer behaviour get pushed aside. The result can be regulation that feels protective but leaves adult smokers with fewer credible routes away from cigarettes. Public health needs evidence, proportion and calm enough to tell the difference between a real risk and a politically useful alarm.
September 18, 2026 by planetofthevapes.co.uk
Parliament Matters
Parliament matters because vaping policy is shaped by the people who decide what evidence is heard, which risks are prioritised and how adult smokers are represented. Poor legislation can make lower-risk products harder to access while cigarettes remain familiar and available. Stronger scrutiny should separate youth protection from adult harm reduction, and enforcement from overreach. The aim should be a legal framework that reduces smoking, supports switching and reflects the real differences between nicotine products.
11.80% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 6.7 million current smokers in United Kingdom 13.60% of men are current smokers but only 10.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
September 18, 2026 by substack.com
Would Charles Schulz Have Done It This Way?
Pop culture can reveal how much the nicotine debate has changed. A question framed through Charles Schulz and familiar comic-strip nostalgia points to something bigger: public attitudes are shaped as much by stories, humour and moral cues as by evidence. That matters for tobacco harm reduction, because safer nicotine products are often judged through cultural discomfort before their risks are properly compared with smoking. Better public health communication should be clear enough to cut through the cartoon version of the debate.
September 18, 2026 by vejpkollen.se
Column: "After the election, I dare to be a little optimistic about smoke-free nicotine”
Cautious optimism on smoke-free nicotine is justified when the debate begins to recognise evidence, consumer behaviour and the difference between use and harm. Sweden’s experience has shown that lower-risk alternatives can contribute to falling smoking rates when they are accessible, acceptable and regulated. The challenge now is to turn that lesson into policy without losing sight of youth protection or product standards. Progress depends on treating smoke-free nicotine as part of the solution, not as a problem to be managed out of sight.
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Blogs
Harry's blog 134: Filtering out lies and misinformation
The only major global journal focused on harm reduction has gone bust. Since 2017, Filter has advocated through journalism for rational and compassionate approaches to drug use, drug policy and human rights, while also standing out for its coverage of tobacco harm reduction. Its closure is a significant loss - particularly at a time when well-funded opponents of tobacco harm reduction continue to thrive.
Harry’s blog 133: Silence is consent
Two tobacco control consultations that demand your attention
I’m sure there are many of you like me who are deeply cynical about public consultations. They often feel like political tick box exercises allowing the issuing authority from local councils to international organisations to say they have ‘consulted with the people’, when in truth they knew exactly what they were going to do from the get-go.
Harry’s Blog 132: “Zyn! Went The Strings Of My Heart” (with apologies to Judy Garland)
FDA approval of 20 nicotine pouch products is another step forward for tobacco harm reduction
The FDA in the U.S. has granted marketing authorisation for Zyn nicotine pouch products (five variations on mint plus five other flavours in two different strengths).
In its letter to PMI (who own Zyn manufacturers Swedish Match), the FDA wrote:
Based on our review of your MRTPAs [Modified Risk Tobacco Applications] we determined that the proposed modified risk tobacco products, …as actually used by consumers would significantly reduce harm and the risk of tobacco-related disease to individual tobacco users and benefit the health of the population as a whole, taking into account both users of tobacco products and persons who do not currently use tobacco products. Therefore, we authorize marketing of the tobacco products as modified risk tobacco products with the following modified risk information – “Using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis”.