The war on drugs comes for nicotine: Brussels lobbyists, failed Australian prohibitionists and a tiny island lobby the UN to treat vapers like meth addicts
June 12, 2026 by clearingtheair.eu
The war on drugs comes for nicotine: Brussels lobbyists, failed Australian prohibitionists and a tiny island lobby the UN to treat vapers like meth addicts
A proposal to place nicotine under international drug-control rules would treat vaping and nicotine pouches more like illicit substances than harm-reduction tools. Critics warn that such an approach could drive legal products out of regulated markets, strengthen illicit trade and make cigarettes comparatively easier to access. Nicotine policy should distinguish between dependence and the far greater harms caused by combustion. Extending prohibition models to safer products risks repeating failures already seen elsewhere.
13.70% of the adult population are daily smokers. There are approximately 0 daily smokers in Palau 22.00% of men are daily smokers but only 5.30% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
