Laura Hunter’s Tobacco Defence Does Not Survive Scrutiny
September 07, 2026 by substack.com
Laura Hunter’s Tobacco Defence Does Not Survive Scrutiny
Dismissing harm reduction as “tobacco defence” is an easy way to avoid the harder question: what actually helps smokers leave cigarettes behind? Industry scrutiny remains necessary, but it cannot replace evidence on combustion, switching and relative risk. A debate that treats every safer nicotine product as a corporate trick leaves no room for consumer experience or measurable reductions in harm. Public health should be able to challenge tobacco companies without dismissing the tools that may make cigarettes less dominant.
