Beyond the Evidence: Why the Nicotine Sector Needs Credibility, Collaboration and Long-Term Thinking

The scientific evidence surrounding smoke-free nicotine products is only one part of the challenge facing the nicotine sector. Even where manufacturers believe the evidence supports differentiated approaches to regulation, that evidence does not automatically translate into public understanding, regulatory acceptance or proportionate policy. That disconnect was at the centre of the GINN panel “We’re Right…

We’re Right but We’re Losing – How the Nicotine Sector Wastes Its Own Advantage

GINN Panel | InterTabac Dortmund 2026 Moderator: Joel Rubenstein, GINN Panelists: Tomasz Płaska, Chemnovatic; Jack Li, HG Innovation; Shivam Bihani, Satyam’s Sun Products (MYNT) The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and readability while preserving the substance and meaning of the speakers’ remarks.   Introductions Joel Rubenstein: Hello, everybody. We’re going to shift…

Evidence Is Not Enough: Why the Nicotine Sector Must Strengthen Its Case

Reporting contributed by Kiran Sidhu   “For those in the pouch industry, the harm reduction benefit of choosing a non-combustible nicotine product is irrefutably evident,” Joel Rubenstein told the audience. However, he said, step outside and the environment is hostile to this evidence-based fact.    Rubenstein, an independent commercial consultant, was speaking at InterTabac, an…

GINN Response: Nicotine Pouches Are Not “Beyond the Law” in India

A recent explainer asks whether nicotine pouches are “beyond the law” in India and concludes by suggesting that the government could quickly prohibit their import and sale on health grounds. The article identifies genuine uncertainty around the treatment of tobacco-free nicotine pouches under India’s existing legislation. However, the suggestion that these products effectively occupy a…

The Pouch Effect: Could Nicotine Pouches Help Close Sweden’s Smoking Gender Gap?

Sweden’s unusually low smoking prevalence has long attracted international attention. Much of the discussion has focused on the country’s long history of snus use, particularly among men. But Sweden’s nicotine market is changing. Tobacco-free nicotine pouches have grown rapidly, and their uptake among women raises a new question: could a product category with broader appeal…

The Nicotine Pouch Evidence Base Has Changed: What a New 2026 Scoping Review Tells Regulators

The evidence surrounding oral nicotine pouches has expanded rapidly. Questions that only a few years ago were being considered using a relatively small body of research can now be examined across studies covering product characteristics, nicotine delivery, toxicant exposure, patterns of use, smoking behaviour, marketing and consumer perceptions. For regulators, this expanding evidence base creates…

Can Europe Agree on Risk-Proportionate Nicotine Taxation? What the EU Tax Debate Reveals

Europe’s nicotine market has changed considerably since the EU’s tobacco excise framework was last substantially updated. Cigarettes remain the dominant source of tobacco-related harm, but heated tobacco products, e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches now form part of a much more diverse market. The European Commission is attempting to respond through its proposed revision of the Tobacco…