What's wrong with WHO? Ten fundamentals on tobacco and nicotine
June 01, 2026 by clivebates.com
What's wrong with WHO? Ten fundamentals on tobacco and nicotine
Global tobacco policy has become increasingly disconnected from the main cause of tobacco-related disease: smoking itself. Safer nicotine products such as vapes, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products are presented as part of the solution, yet many health authorities continue to treat them as a threat rather than an opportunity for harm reduction. Misleading statistics, particularly around youth vaping, can encourage policies that fail to reduce smoking and may unintentionally push people back towards cigarettes. Strong restrictions and bans risk expanding illicit markets while making safer alternatives harder for adults who smoke to access. A more effective approach would be evidence-based, risk-proportionate regulation that recognises the significant differences between combustible cigarettes and smoke-free nicotine products.
