The new merchants of doubt
July 23, 2026 by substack.com
The new merchants of doubt
Doubt can be manufactured in more than one direction. In nicotine policy, selective evidence and repeated uncertainty can make lower-risk products appear more dangerous than they are, while the risks of continued smoking fade into the background. That matters because public understanding shapes regulation, and regulation shapes whether smokers see switching as credible. Public health should challenge misinformation without becoming a source of it.
