A shift from prohibition to regulation may soon reshape the French nicotine landscape. France is at a pivotal moment in determining the future of nicotine pouches, a tobacco-free oral product increasingly used by adult smokers as a lower-risk alternative to cigarettes. In 2024, the French government took a prohibitionist stance, notifying a draft decree that…
In response to: “Nicotine Pouch Poisonings Spike in Young Children“ A recent study published in Pediatrics has revealed a troubling rise in child nicotine poisonings in the U.S.—more than 134,000 cases involving children under 6 were reported to poison control centers between 2010 and 2023. Since 2020, exposures linked to nicotine pouches in particular have…
The European Commission’s approval of the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework signals a seismic shift in how tobacco taxation will function across the European Union. While touted as a modernization of fiscal policy, the measures raise critical questions about the future of harm reduction and whether safer alternatives to smoking will remain accessible and incentivized. 🔍…
A leaked draft of the European Commission’s proposed Tobacco Tax Directive has sent shockwaves across public health and policy communities. Among its most controversial measures: an unprecedented tax hike on nicotine pouches—Sweden’s leading tool in its harm reduction strategy. The plan suggests increasing the tax on pouches in Sweden by over 650%, from 207 SEK/kg…
By Phil Hudson, Co-Founder & Associate Director @ GINN UK POLICY SHIFT: DISPOSABLE VAPES OUT, RESPONSIBILITY IN On 1 June 2025, the UK initiated a transformative public health and environmental move, the full-scale ban on disposable vapes.Targeting youth usage and the 5million+ weekly waste burden, the law now mandates sales of reusable devices only, with…
The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2024 (GSTHR) delivers one of the clearest pictures to date of where the world stands in its efforts to reduce smoking-related death and disease through safer nicotine products (SNPs). As the report reveals, the momentum for harm reduction is growing—but so too are the policy obstacles, misconceptions, and…
In 2025, Kenya became one of the first African countries to implement a fully integrated legal framework for regulating nicotine pouches. The government’s robust approach has aligned nicotine pouches with conventional tobacco products under national health law, closing critical loopholes and signaling a significant shift in the country’s public health policy. The newly gazetted rules,…
Nicotine pouches have emerged as a key innovation in the fight against smoking-related disease—offering a clean, discreet, and combustion-free option for adults seeking to quit cigarettes. Yet despite their potential, one group remains consistently underserved: low-income communities. These are the very populations most affected by smoking-related harm, and yet they are often the last to…
Spain is quickly becoming a focal point in the broader European debate over nicotine pouches. While EU institutions weigh broader harm reduction strategies, Spain has taken a more cautious—and in some cases, restrictive—approach to regulating these alternatives. GINN recently held a regional engagement in Spain to better understand the local regulatory landscape, meet with policymakers…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has renewed its call for a global ban on flavored nicotine products—a move that continues to raise concerns among harm reduction advocates, public health professionals, and adult consumers who rely on these products to quit smoking. At GINN, we recognize the critical need to protect youth. But we also believe…