South Korea and Sweden: What Diverging Smoking Trends Tell Us About Risk-Proportionate Nicotine Policy

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Smoking rates have fallen across many high-income countries over the past several decades, but the pace of that decline varies considerably. South Korea and Sweden provide a useful comparison. Both countries have strong public-health institutions and long-standing tobacco-control policies. Both have reduced smoking substantially from historical levels. Their current positions, however, are quite different. OECD…

What Does Good Nicotine Governance Look Like?

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Building Regulatory Systems That Deliver Better Public Health Outcomes The rapid evolution of nicotine products has transformed the regulatory landscape. Traditional combustible tobacco products now exist alongside nicotine pouches, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine replacement therapies, and emerging nicotine technologies. This growing diversity presents governments with an increasingly complex challenge: how can regulatory systems…

Beyond Product Bans: Why Performance Standards Are the Future of Nicotine Regulation

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For many years, debates about nicotine regulation have been framed as a choice between allowing products onto the market or banning them altogether. As new smoke-free nicotine products have emerged, public discussion has often focused on restrictions relating to flavours, nicotine concentrations, advertising, taxation, or outright prohibition. While these policy debates remain important, they can…

Estonia’s Proposed Nicotine Pouch Cap: A Debate About Strength or Smoking?

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Estonia is considering introducing a maximum nicotine limit for nicotine pouches. Supporters argue that lower nicotine levels could reduce dependence and improve public health. Critics, however, warn that setting the cap too low may produce an unintended consequence: making smoke-free alternatives less effective for adults who smoke while leaving combustible cigarettes largely unaffected. The debate…

South Africa’s Tobacco Bill: Why Risk-Proportionate Regulation Is Becoming Part of the National Conversation

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South Africa’s proposed Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill has become one of the country’s most closely debated public health reforms. Designed to modernise legislation dating back to 1993 and align with international tobacco control commitments, the Bill introduces wide-ranging measures that include expanded smoke-free spaces, plain packaging, retail display restrictions, tighter controls…