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Teenage girls in Europe have high tobacco and e-cigarette usage rates, with Europe expected to lead in tobacco consumption until 2030. 40% of adult female smokers worldwide are in Europe, while 4 million European teens use tobacco. Europe also has high e-cigarette use among teens and adults. Tobacco-related deaths in Europe total 1.1m annually. WHO warns that without action, Europe will remain the worst region by 2030. The industry's targeting of young people contributes to high e-cigarette use among children. Countries like Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands show regulations can combat this trend. Only a third of European countries have comprehensive smoke-free laws. Strong tobacco control measures are needed to address evolving nicotine products and protect public health.

Canadian flavour bans were sold as a public health win, but the data says otherwise. In this episode of RegWatch, economist Dr. Michael Pesko breaks down new research examining the real-world impact of provincial bans on flavoured nicotine vaping products. Using retail sales data from across Canada, Pesko and his co-authors found that nicotine vape sales fell by roughly 30 percent after provincial flavour bans took effect, while cigarette sales rose by nearly 10 percent.

No sooner had I written last week’s column about how the government is undermining its goal of a “smokefree” England by going to war on vaping than the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced plans to ban vaping in every publicly accessible building in the land. What are they thinking? To find out, I read DHSC’s Impact Assessment (IA). Impact Assessments were introduced in the 1990s in an attempt to make policy-making “evidence-based” but they soon became a burden on the civil servants who were compelled to turn the vibes-based policies of impulsive politicians into sensible pieces of legislation that balance costs against benefits.

The government has recently launched a public consultation on a proposed ban on vaping in public places, a move that the New Nicotine Alliance considers misguided and an unnecessary extension of legislative control without sufficient evidence or justification. As a charity dedicated to promoting harm reduction, the organisation believes it is essential that the perspectives of those who understand and have experienced the benefits of safer alternatives to smoking are clearly represented in this process. Personal experiences and informed insights are seen as powerful tools in shaping balanced, evidence-based policies.

WHO urged Ireland to influence EU regulations on nicotine products due to industry opposition. Tedros emphasized the need for updated laws addressing vapes and nicotine pouches popular among youth, highlighting gaps in EU rules. Ireland's leadership in tobacco regulation was commended. The delay in revising EU rules has led countries like Ireland to enact their measures. The Commission acknowledges the urgency to tackle increased youth vape use. Ireland's vape tax revenue fell short of forecasts, attributed to difficulties in estimating the market size and compliance issues. Responsible Vaping Ireland suggested tax stamps and crackdowns on the black market. EU negotiations on tobacco control laws may start in 2027.

A study in Nature Communications identified a nicotine receptor gene variant linked to lower daily cigarette consumption in Mexican, East Asian, and European populations. Variants in CHRNB3 were found to decrease smoking frequency by 21% to 78%. The study highlights the potential of targeting the β3 subunit for treating nicotine addiction. Further research in larger cohorts is required to fully understand the impact of these genetic variants on smoking dependency. The findings suggest that genetic factors play a role in smoking behavior across different ancestries, indicating potential therapeutic interventions for nicotine addiction.

Organised crime in Australia, spanning decades, thrives on illegal markets. Historically, prohibition and stringent regulations drive criminal enterprises, like 1920s razor gangs or recent tobacco wars. Despite efforts to curb illicit activities, escalating enforcement hasn't deterred the trade. Today, illicit drug markets cost billions, with drugs like nicotine rapidly growing. Outcomes mirror past failures when suppressing gambling, drugs, and sex work, reinforcing criminal control. Adjusting regulations, as seen in cannabis decriminalization proposals, can reduce organized crime impact and enhance public safety. Balancing control and legality can combat criminal influence and protect consumers, ultimately weakening organized crime's financial incentives and reducing violence in society.

In a new Code Against Cancer, the World Health Organisation opposes the most effective and popular way to reduce the most important modifiable cancer risk, smoking. So, what does that make WHO?

Aligning with scientific evidence and international success stories, safer nicotine alternatives offer a way to reduce smoking-related harm. Tobacco harm reduction, supported by the FDA, stresses the reduced risks of products like e-cigarettes. Taxing these products less than cigarettes is crucial to incentivize smokers to switch, promoting public health. Regressive taxing unfairly impacts lower-income smokers. Following FDA guidelines and global examples such as Sweden and the UK, Wisconsin should adopt risk-proportionate taxation to encourage harm reduction.

Germany plans to ban menthol vapes and cooling-flavored e-liquids to deter vaping appeal despite a high smoking rate. The ban aims to curb nicotine intake and dependence among young users. Critics argue insufficient evidence supports the ban and fear it will lead to increased smoking rates and youth access to unregulated products. Similar flavor bans have backfired in other countries, pushing consumers back to combustible cigarettes. Experts urge a harm reduction approach to nicotine to save lives effectively. The ban is deemed unrealistic in achieving Germany's smoking rate reduction goal.