Nicotine should be regulated proportionately to its risks and in a manner that accelerates the decline of combustible smoking. It should not be governed through sweeping “endgame” narratives that treat all nicotine products as though they occupy the same place on the risk spectrum. Recent interventions from both The Guardian and the Government of Palau…
A Growing Divide in European Nicotine Policy The European Union is approaching a critical moment in nicotine regulation. As policymakers prepare for major revisions to the Tobacco Excise Directive (TED), the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), and wider tobacco control legislation, a fundamental disagreement has emerged within European institutions. At the heart of the debate is…
Understanding the Findings and Their Policy Implications As nicotine pouches continue to emerge in markets around the world, regulators face a familiar challenge: how should policymakers respond when new products enter the market before dedicated regulatory frameworks are fully established? A recent study examining nicotine pouches sold in Karachi has contributed new data to this…
A New Direction in European Nicotine Policy Over the past decade, Europe has been at the centre of some of the world’s most significant debates on tobacco harm reduction. Products such as nicotine pouches, vaping products, and heated tobacco products emerged as alternatives to combustible cigarettes and were often discussed through the lens of risk…
As governments consider how to regulate nicotine pouches, one model is becoming increasingly important: treating oral nicotine products not as general consumer goods, but as medicines, natural health products, poisons, or pharmaceutical-style nicotine replacement therapies. This approach is most clearly visible in Canada, where Zonnic has become the leading example of a nicotine pouch authorised…
While the European Union does not currently have a dedicated framework for modern nicotine products, several jurisdictions have already developed regulatory approaches that provide useful reference points for policymakers. These examples demonstrate that nicotine products can be regulated through frameworks that balance consumer protection, product oversight, youth safeguards, and adult access without relying solely on…
The global nicotine landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Over the past decade, regulators have focused primarily on traditional tobacco products, vaping devices, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches, and synthetic nicotine. However, a new category is beginning to attract attention from policymakers, scientists, and public health stakeholders: nicotine analogs. While nicotine analogs remain…
The decision by France to prohibit nicotine pouches has triggered renewed debate across Europe about the future of nicotine regulation, the role of harm reduction, and the principles that should guide public health policy. While French authorities have justified the measure as a response to concerns surrounding youth uptake and nicotine addiction, the ban has…
The United Kingdom has formally begun the next phase of its tobacco and nicotine regulatory transition. Following Royal Assent of the Tobacco and Vapes Act on 29 April 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed that new advertising and sponsorship restrictions covering vaping products, nicotine pouches, herbal smoking products, and related…
Flavor regulation has become one of the most contested areas in modern nicotine policy. Across the United States, Europe, and global markets at varying stages of regulatory maturity, governments continue debating whether restrictions on flavored nicotine products represent an effective public health intervention or whether overly simplified approaches risk generating consequences their architects did not…