Stories

What happens when the easiest product to punish is also one of the tools helping people leave cigarettes behind? The government’s vape crackdown may target real concerns, but the consequences will depend on whether it separates illegal youth sales from adult harm reduction. Make vaping harder to access, understand or trust, and some smokers may simply stay with cigarettes. Tough policy is not the same as effective policy.

Academic research can change the tobacco debate when it looks beyond assumptions and asks what is happening in people’s lives. Work from Manchester Metropolitan University adds to a growing body of evidence on nicotine use, harm reduction and the real-world factors that shape behaviour. That matters because policy built only on fear or ideology will miss the people it is meant to help. Better evidence gives public health a better chance of reducing smoking-related harm.

The forgotten smoker is not the one who refuses to listen. It is the person who has heard every warning, tried to quit, and still finds cigarettes hard to leave behind. Public health cannot stop at telling people what they already know; it must offer routes that are realistic enough to use. Safer nicotine alternatives matter because they may reach the people traditional tobacco control keeps missing.

Strange alliances often shape bad policy. In tobacco control, moral campaigners and commercial interests can end up pulling in the same direction when restrictions make legal, safer alternatives harder to access. The result is a paradox: policies presented as public health protection may leave the cigarette market stronger. Following the incentives matters, because the people harmed most are usually the smokers with the fewest good options.

Snus changed what we know about nicotine, smoke and disease risk. Decades of epidemiological evidence show that removing combustion can dramatically change the health profile of nicotine use — a lesson now highly relevant to nicotine pouches. The question is how carefully that evidence can be applied to newer smoke-free products without ignoring important differences between categories. Better policy starts with understanding what long-term data can tell us, and where new evidence is still needed.

Lawmakers and prosecutors in the Philippines are urging stronger efforts to combat the rising illicit tobacco trade due to ineffective seizures. They emphasize the need for convictions to deter criminal networks in the lucrative trade. A recent study estimated a significant tax revenue loss of ₱141 billion ($2.3 billion) over two years. Proposed actions include an Anti-Illicit Trade law to enhance prosecutions, better coordination, and the use of track-and-trace technology. Prosecutors highlight the need for additional evidence in ongoing cases.

New Zealand has successfully reduced smoking rates through innovative tobacco control measures, including regulating access to vaping products. This approach, endorsed by health authorities, led to a rapid decline in smoking rates, especially among indigenous communities and youth. The country's experience shows that harm reduction policies can complement traditional tobacco control efforts and accelerate progress towards a smoke-free future. The success of these measures highlights the importance of evidence-based regulation and a focus on reducing tobacco-related harms, particularly among disadvantaged populations. New Zealand's approach serves as a valuable example of how innovation can drive positive change in public health.

Tobacco harm reduction could benefit older adults struggling to quit smoking, as they often face deep nicotine dependence. Traditional cessation methods are often ineffective for long-term smokers. Tobacco harm reduction offers diverse alternatives, like e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, that better address nicotine dependence. Research shows older smokers may lack knowledge about these alternatives. Encouraging accurate information and exploring harm reduction options can support older adults in making the switch and overcoming barriers to quitting. Involving their community can provide essential support. Embracing harm reduction offers a realistic path forward for older smokers, even after years of tobacco use.

Remove the products adults actually use to stay off cigarettes, and the outcome may not be the one policymakers expect. Ireland’s proposed restrictions on disposable vapes and flavours risk making vaping less accessible, less appealing and less useful for people trying to quit smoking. Protecting young people matters, but so does avoiding a policy that pushes adults back towards cigarettes or into informal markets. Good regulation should reduce harm in practice, not just look tough on paper.

A survey by Action on Smoking and Health reveals that 19% of adults attempting to quit vaping used cigarettes, potentially due to misconceptions about the risks. Beliefs about the harm of smoking versus vaping influenced these choices. While vaping has aided 3.3 million former smokers and daily vaping has surpassed smoking in Great Britain, misconceptions persist with 52% of current smokers believing vaping is as harmful as smoking. The UK government is considering further regulations on vaping to prevent youth uptake. Cancer Research UK supports regulations that deter non-smokers while recognizing vaping's harm reduction for smokers. Balancing visibility while highlighting differences between vaping and smoking is crucial to prevent setbacks in smoking cessation efforts.