Stories

Tobacco taxes have been a cash cow for governments around the world. World Health Organization (WHO) data suggest that combined annual global taxes on cigarettes are approaching $1 trillion. In many countries, however, cigarette tax collections shrink each year because fewer people smoke. This tremendous win for public health should be a cause for celebration. But for governments that have become (...)

In this episode of GFN Voices we're joined by Dorrie Heemskerk to bring you some expert insight into efforts to counter misinformation in public policy.

Sweden has long made it a goal to have a smoke-free society, pushing snus and smokeless nicotine products as a safer alternative to cigarettes. Smoking has been the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. for decades, and its effects on public health are well documented. But a strong tobacco and nicotine lobby, combined with gaps in data and long-term research about the safety of smokeless products, have raised questions about whether the means will truly lead to the end.

As the European Commission pushes forward on its most ambitious tobacco tax reform in over a decade, Portugal has stepped up as a strong opponent to key elements of the proposal. The sweeping reform, designed to align with the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan and introduce minimum tax levels on novel nicotine products like vapes and pouches, has drawn praise from public health advocates. But it also faces mounting criticism from countries that warn of unintended consequences. At the forefront of this resistance is Portugal, which argues that the proposed tax increases could undercut public health goals, harm national budgets, and fuel illicit trade.

As Malaysia considers a nationwide vape ban, industry leaders and public health experts warn of unintended consequences, rising black markets, and threats to tobacco harm reduction (THR) efforts.

A coalition of Democratic U.S. senators is pressing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for answers after it issued marketing granted orders (MGOs) for Juul e-cigarettes. Led by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, they sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary last week expressing deep concern over the agency’s reversal of prior marketing denial orders (MDOs) issued to Juul Labs Inc. in 2022.

Another alarmist article is once again pushing the long-debunked “youth vaping epidemic” narrative. Published in Cureus (part of Springer Nature) on August 5, the authors’ bias is evident from the title alone. The paper claims to be a narrative review examining the “rising” public health concerns related to youth vaping, including its prevalence, health risks, and regulatory responses. In reality, this so-called “review” is a smorgasbord of debunked falsehoods about tobacco harm reduction products.

FDA Law Blog explained that a U.S. District Court found the Food and Drug Administration’s civil‑penalty process unconstitutional because it allows the agency to impose fines without a jury trial.

In late July 2025, a national association of Canadian pharmacists firmly rejected proposals to expand nicotine pouch availability beyond pharmacy walls. A government order from the previous year requires that these pouches be sold only behind the counter of licensed pharmacies. Pharmacists oppose relaxing that restriction, arguing that the products require professional oversight and age verification and should not be stocked in general retail stores.

Starting today, governments from around the world are meeting in Geneva for the final round of negotiations for a new international treaty to tackle plastic pollution. Among the sources of plastic pollution under discussion, cigarette butts are a major but often overlooked and very toxic contributor.