Stories

Nicotine use dates back 12,300 years, with 1.25 billion smokers globally. The WHO reports 19 million quitting smoking in the last two years, signaling progress. Efforts to regulate nicotine should focus on harm reduction, consumer protection, and informative choice. Over-regulation can lead to black markets and unsafe products. Understanding consumer behavior is crucial for effective regulation. Policies should prioritize harm reduction, transparent research, and balanced regulation. Thoughtful, evidence-based regulation can protect public health and ensure informed choices. Balanced regulation is key to addressing nicotine consumption and promoting a healthier society. The author advocates for a nuanced approach to regulation, prioritizing health and scientific integrity.

The cannabis industry faces financial hurdles due to Section 280E, disallowing tax deductions for marijuana businesses. Biden's proposed rescheduling to Schedule 3 could revolutionize the industry. Marijuana companies struggle with deductions for business essentials like rent, salaries, utilities, and marketing due to federal limitations. Relief from 280E could lead to reinvestment, lower prices, improved financial services, and market competitiveness. Potential changes generate excitement, speculating on economic growth and financial parity with other sectors. The industry awaits full financial liberation to reach its true potential. Rescheduling marijuana could transform the industry into a prosperous powerhouse, yet the timeline for these changes remains uncertain.

The WHO released a guideline to aid over 750 million individuals looking to quit tobacco. It recommends behavioural support, digital interventions, and pharmacological treatments, emphasizing the struggle faced by most of the world's 1.25 billion tobacco users in accessing effective cessation services. Combining therapy and interventions boosts success rates, with varenicline, Nicotine Replacement Therapy, bupropion, and cytisine suggested as effective treatments. WHO promotes the availability of these treatments, especially in low-income countries. The organization also introduced a prequalification procedure for cessation medications in 2023. Health-care providers are urged to offer brief counselling and digital interventions to support users in quitting tobacco worldwide.

Smoking remains a leading cause of health inequalities and government policy needs to reduce this gradient. Many of the people who smoke are from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, and therefore, hold little power when it comes to political decision making. Hall provides a range of evidence-based arguments that outline why Australia's e-cigarette policy is failing to deliver equitable and effective public health policy. Adding to Hall's own analysis of these issues, I have several further observations.

Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) is crucial for aiding smokers in countries with limited cessation resources like Bangladesh. Misconceptions about nicotine and harm reduction hinder progress. Scientific evidence supports THR's effectiveness and lower risk compared to smoking. Harsh regulations, as seen in India, lead to black markets and public health risks. Integrating THR into national strategies involves education, regulatory balance, and prioritizing scientific evidence. Countries like the UK and Sweden show success with THR. Embracing THR can reduce smoking-related harm and assist smokers in quitting, emphasizing the difference between nicotine and combustion-related harms.

New York City's mayor seeks a Manhattan judge's immediate intervention to stop 11 wholesalers from selling illegal flavored vapes. The city's lawsuit, filed in April, highlights the concerning rise in youth addiction to flavored e-cigarettes. City lawyers are now pushing for a preliminary injunction to cease these harmful practices swiftly. Mayor Adams emphasizes the urgency of preventing vape distribution to children. Investigators were able to place orders directly with the wholesalers, uncovering incriminating sales invoices. The legal action aims to hold these distributors accountable and protect the youth during litigation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued guidelines to aid adults in quitting tobacco, emphasizing behavioural support, digital interventions, and medication. With 750 million users wanting to quit, recommendations cover various tobacco products. Due to limited resources, 70% lack access to cessation services. WHO advises combining pharmacotherapy with behavioral support for successful cessation. Free or low-cost medications like varenicline and NRT are encouraged, especially in low-income countries. WHO prequalified Kenvue's NRT products in 2024.

Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law Wednesday a N.C. House bill that removes hundreds of unregulated synthetic nicotine electronic-cigarette products from retail shelves. North Carolina is among several states pursuing or having enacted such restrictions.

This perspective discusses how to best define “e-cigarette use” among youth in a way that is relevant to individual and human health. Commonly-used definitions of youth e-cigarette use have been adapted from measures validated for tobacco cigarette smoking among adults, but may not carry the same meaning for a different product (with a much lower risk profile and very different patterns of use) and a different population (whose use is more often transient and experimental, rather than frequent and persistent). We discuss strengths and weaknesses of different definitions, and recommend improvements in defining youth e-cigarette use. [...]

GFN 2024 Keynote #3 given by Vivien Azer, hosted by David Sweanor, response from Jonathan Fell. Vivien is a nicotine market specialist, and until recently, the Managing Director & Senior Analyst, Global Beverages, Tobacco and Cannabis, at TD Cowen, in New York City.