Smoking Transitions in South Korea, Ireland and Estonia: What Can Regulators Learn?

News, RegulationsLeave a comment

The relationship between declining cigarette smoking and the growing use of non-combustible nicotine products is becoming an important consideration for tobacco-control policy. While countries such as Sweden, Japan and the United Kingdom are frequently discussed in this context, emerging patterns elsewhere offer further opportunities to examine how consumers respond to different products and regulatory environments.…

After the UK’s Nicotine Packaging Consultation: What Should Regulators Consider Next?

News, RegulationsLeave a comment

The UK’s consultation on the packaging, appearance and retail display of tobacco, vaping and nicotine products closed on 2 October 2026, marking another stage in the implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Act. The Department of Health and Social Care sought views on proposals intended to reduce the appeal of nicotine products, particularly among children…

Europe’s Nicotine-Pouch Crossroads: Market Freezes, Economic Value and Accountable Supply

News, RegulationsLeave a comment

Can product standards, transparent registration and effective enforcement protect young people while preserving a regulated market for adults? Europe’s approach to nicotine-pouch regulation is entering an important period of debate. As the European Union considers revisions to its tobacco-related legislation, proposals to restrict emerging nicotine products are raising questions about youth protection, consumer behaviour, market…

UK Nicotine Rules Change on 29 October: What the New Framework Means for Nicotine Pouches

News, RegulationsLeave a comment

The UK’s regulatory framework for nicotine products will enter a significant new phase on 29 October 2026, when provisions of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 covering age of sale, vending machines and promotional practices come into force. For nicotine pouches, the changes address an important regulatory gap. Products that previously sat outside some of…

Europe’s Nicotine Pouch Debate: A Test for Risk-Proportionate Regulation

News, RegulationsLeave a comment

Europe’s debate over nicotine regulation is entering an important phase. As EU institutions consider changes to tobacco-control and taxation frameworks, policymakers are confronting a fundamental question: should cigarettes and smoke-free nicotine products be regulated in broadly similar ways, or should regulation recognise differences in product characteristics and risk? Recent reporting by Vaping Post highlights how…

Nicotine Pouches in Mexico: Closing Regulatory Gaps Without Ignoring Relative Risk

News, RegulationsLeave a comment

Mexico’s nicotine market is changing. Oral nicotine pouches, which contain nicotine but do not require tobacco combustion, have become increasingly visible through online platforms and physical retailers. Their emergence raises legitimate questions about product standards, nicotine strength, marketing, youth protection and how these products fit within Mexico’s existing regulatory framework. A recent commentary published on…

Behind the Counter: Is Canada’s Nicotine Pouch Model Achieving Its Goals?

News, RegulationsLeave a comment

Canada is holding firm on one of the more restrictive approaches to legal nicotine pouch access among countries where the products are authorised. Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel said this week that she is not considering loosening rules that restrict authorised nicotine pouches to pharmacies. The comments follow calls for wider retail availability, with supporters…

Europe’s Cancer Vote Raises a Question: Why Is Nicotine Risk Differentiation Disappearing?

Educational Resources, News, RegulationsLeave a comment

Europe’s approach to nicotine risk appears to be sending mixed signals. On 16 September, the European Parliament adopted its cardiovascular health strategy, in which differences in nicotine products and their risk profiles were recognised. Less than two weeks later, Parliament’s Committee on Public Health (SANT) adopted its report on the implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer…

Policy Update: Could the EU Move Toward Pre-Market Authorisation for Novel Nicotine Products?

News, RegulationsLeave a comment

The European Union is reassessing whether its tobacco and nicotine framework remains fit for a market that has changed significantly since the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) was adopted. Nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and other novel products have expanded rapidly, creating regulatory questions that the existing framework does not address consistently. One possibility receiving…