Nicotine, Cognition and Mental Health: Implications for Evidence-Based Regulation

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Debates around nicotine policy often focus narrowly on dependence and youth protection. Far less frequently examined, but increasingly discussed in scientific and policy literature, is nicotine’s relationship with cognition and mental health. Emerging research suggests that nicotine may have measurable short-term effects on attention, working memory, and executive function. At the same time, long-standing concerns…

GINN Insight: Article 5.3 and Harm Reduction: Governance Safeguard or Policy Constraint?

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Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has become one of the most frequently cited provisions in contemporary nicotine policy debates. The clause is concise: “In setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests…

Austria’s 2026 Nicotine Pouch Framework: What It Signals for Germany and the EU

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From April 2026, Austria will implement its first fully defined national regulatory framework for nicotine pouches. The reform moves the category from a fragmented legal grey zone into a structured regime anchored in tobacco legislation, combining legal availability with strict controls on youth access, sales channels, product standards, and taxation. The shift is not a…