Stories

Misinformation about nicotine causing cancer persists among the public and medical professionals, as highlighted by Professor David Khayat in a Rutgers-led study. Despite decades of using nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation, misconceptions remain. Khayat emphasizes lifestyle factors like diet and exposure to carcinogens in the prevalence of cancer. He advocates for oncologists to educate on Tobacco Harm Reduction, emphasizing tobacco's significant role in cancer mortality. The economic burden of tobacco-related cancers in Africa is a growing concern due to rising smoking rates. Khayat urges proactive measures to prevent a looming cancer epidemic on the continent.

The UK government seeks expert input on achieving smoke-free status by 2030, with a focus on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill limiting smoking and imposing regulations on retailers. Concerns arise over potential impact on harm reduction access and the balance between youth protection and vape usability. Critics question if evidence contradicts government intentions while a licensing scheme aims to prevent rogue retailers. Debate surrounds potential effects on responsible retailers and concerns that limitation of vape shops could harm public health. Calls for evidence also raise worries about the government's stance on harm reduction. The "Pride in Place" program allows communities to restrict vape shops, sparking concerns over potential stigma.

Internal tobacco industry data suggest that illicit tobacco now accounts for 64% of all tobacco and 82% of total nicotine consumed in Australia. As of September, the black market is estimated to be worth nearly $10 billion. This surge in illegal tobacco use has caused federal tobacco excise revenue to plummet—from over $16 billion in 2020 to $7.4 billion in 2025—with further declines expected. In addition, the federal tobacco excise increased by another 5% last month, on top of regular indexation.

Get an in-depth look at the upcoming 11th session of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Conference, scheduled for November 2025 in Geneva. This video explores the registration process for attending the conference, the challenges faced by harm reduction groups, and the importance of consumer representation in tobacco and nicotine policy discussions.

Sweden's successful anti-smoking approach, with low smoking-related cancer deaths and snus use, contrasts Brussels' upcoming Tobacco Plan. The EU targets a total ban on tobacco products, including harm-reduction items like e-cigarettes and snus, going against industry trends. Philip Morris bought Swedish Match for €14.62 billion, reflecting a shift towards safer nicotine products. Despite Sweden's model reducing cancer rates, Brussels rejects this, proposing updated tobacco taxes and regulations. The EU aims to modernize tobacco taxation laws, considering new products like e-cigarettes in the revised directive effective from 2028. Sweden's opposition to these changes highlights the ongoing tension between national approaches and EU policies.

Originally meant to help smokers quit, e-cigarettes and vaping products have become a new form of addiction, especially among young people. While designed for adult smokers, many young users now vape without ever having smoked. In Missouri, surveys show record-high use — 21% of college students vape and 28% use nicotine overall. Experts warn that easy access to vape shops and high-nicotine products has made this generation more addicted than ever before.

Reforming the FDA’s PMTA process would allow U.S. manufacturers and retailers to offer safer alternatives to smoking, such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and heat-not-burn products. These products are proven to help smokers quit, supporting public health while enabling small businesses to grow, hire more employees, and strengthen local economies.

A leaked EU draft proposes treating non-combustible nicotine products like vapes and heated tobacco the same as cigarettes, causing concern for harm reduction progress. The document suggests labeling these products as addictive "gateways," potentially leading to bans and restrictions that disregard harm reduction evidence. Sweden challenges EU bans on nicotine pouches, emphasizing their public health benefits. Critics argue the EU's approach could hinder efforts to reduce smoking-related harm, opposing proven strategies like those in Sweden, Japan, and the UK. Public health advocates call for science-based policies and raise alarm over a potential EU-wide prohibition, warning against ignoring harm reduction in favor of outdated ideology.

Public health has crossed the line. In a stunning display of moral inversion, officials and mainstream media now endorse teen smoking as an acceptable way to “quit” vaping. In this searing RegWatch public statement, Brent Stafford dissects how a decade of fearmongering and misinformation brought us to this moment—where moral panic replaces science and a jihad against nicotine takes precedence over saving lives.

It was perhaps inevitable that once smoking was “handled,” tobacco control would turn its fire on nicotine. From the UK’s disposable vape ban to EU pouch restrictions and the WHO’s war on nicotine, prohibition is on the march. Shot on location at GFN 2025 in Warsaw, Christopher Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, delivers a stark assessment: public health is recycling old fears, ignoring evidence, and steering policy into prohibitionist chaos. With governments fueling black markets and pushing vapers back to smoking, Snowdon warns the war on nicotine has only just begun.