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…
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…
As governments consider tighter rules for nicotine pouches, flavours have become one of the most contested parts of the debate. Policymakers face a legitimate concern: products containing nicotine should not be designed or marketed in ways that encourage uptake among young people or people who otherwise would not use nicotine. The regulatory question becomes more…
From 1 September 2026, New York State will bring tobacco-free nicotine pouches and other qualifying “alternative nicotine products” into its tobacco-products tax system. The headline figure is striking: 75% of the wholesale price. Under guidance issued by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, the tax applies to non-combustible products that contain nicotine…
The more immediate regulatory story is unfolding in Member States, not in a published EU-wide nicotine-pouch flavour ban Discussion around the next revision of the EU tobacco and nicotine framework is increasingly accompanied by speculation about what the European Commission may ultimately propose for nicotine pouches, including flavours. That discussion needs perspective. There are legitimate…
Taxation remains one of the most established tools in tobacco control. Raising the price of cigarettes can reduce consumption, discourage initiation and contribute to lower smoking prevalence. The World Health Organization recommends that tobacco taxes account for at least 75% of the retail price. The policy question becomes more complicated when the market contains products…
Sweden and Denmark share a border, similar living standards and long-established tobacco-control policies. Both have also set ambitions to create smoke-free societies. Their smoking patterns, however, have diverged. A 2024 report from Smoke Free Sweden, The Great Divide, uses that contrast to make a strong case for Sweden’s approach to tobacco harm reduction. It argues…
As the European Commission’s consultation on the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive and Tobacco Advertising Directive closes today, 14 August 2026, GINN has submitted its response. The review is necessary. But how Europe chooses to modernise its rules will matter as much as the decision to modernise them. The European Commission opened its public…
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…
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…