Category Archives: Standards

Nicotine Pouches and Insurance Risk: Is Underwriting Ready for a Changing Nicotine Market?

Why Emerging Nicotine Products Are Creating New Questions for Insurers The nicotine marketplace has changed dramatically over the past decade. Traditionally, insurance underwriting relied on a relatively simple distinction: applicants were generally classified as either smokers or non-smokers. This approach reflected decades of evidence demonstrating the substantial health risks associated with combustible tobacco use and…

EVO NXT 2026 Opens in Prague: A Global Platform for Policy, Science, and Market Dialogue

EVO NXT 2026 officially opened on April 17, 2026, at Forum Karlín in Prague, bringing together stakeholders from across the next-generation products (NGP) sector, including manufacturers, regulators, researchers, and public health representatives. Positioned as a business-focused event, EVO NXT serves as a platform for examining how innovation, regulation, and market developments are shaping the future…

Why Nicotine Pouch Brands Are Prioritizing Quality and Compliance

The rapid growth of the oral nicotine pouch category has been one of the most significant shifts in global tobacco harm reduction over the past decade. From Sweden to the United States, millions of smokers are turning to pouches as a smoke-free, discreet, and lower-risk alternative to combustible tobacco. But as demand rises, so too…

Language Matters: Why I’m Backing a Global Term for Alternatives to Smoking

By Shem Baldeosingh, Director, Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN) In a global conversation about alternatives to smoking, terminology might seem secondary—but it’s not. Language shapes perception, policy, and access. For too long, inconsistent terms and acronyms have muddled understanding and hampered harm reduction progress. That’s why we’re opening the door to a wider community…

Language Matters: Time for a Global Term for All Alternatives to Smoking

Inspired by Dr. Carolyn Beaumont, an Australian clinician In the constantly evolving world of nicotine products, acronyms abound—NRT, NVP, ANDS, ENDS, e-cigarettes, HNB. Each of these terms captures a slice of the market, but none offer the unified, stigma-free language we need for effective global communication. That’s why the time has come to adopt one…

Designing for Dignity: Why Discretion Matters in Nicotine Innovation

As the landscape of nicotine products evolves, much of the focus has rightly been placed on safety, efficacy, and regulation. Yet there is another equally important dimension that receives far less attention: dignity. For millions of adult smokers trying to quit, dignity—and the discretion that helps preserve it—can be a determining factor in whether they…

Raising the Bar: GINN’s Industry Guidance on Nicotine Pouch Packaging

By Robert Sidebottom, Chair of Regulatory & Compliance Committee, GINN & Managing Director, Arcus Compliance As regulators across Europe increase scrutiny of novel nicotine products, the need for clear, enforceable, and science-based packaging standards has never been greater. That’s why the Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN) is endorsing the work of their member Arcus…

A Call for Responsibility in Nicotine Product Marketing

At the Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN), we are committed to promoting science-based harm reduction, product responsibility, and ethical standards across the nicotine sector. While innovation and consumer choice are vital, they must always be balanced with a duty of care to public health, especially where youth appeal, misinformation, or excessive product strength are…

GINN Responds to The Sunday Times: Setting the Record Straight on Nicotine Pouches

April 21, 2025 The Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN) issues this response to The Sunday Times article published on April 20, 2025, titled “How pouches of pure nicotine became a teenage craze.” As an organization committed to public health, harm reduction, and regulatory clarity, we believe the article fails to reflect the scientific evidence,…

Standing Together: Michiel Carmel of Clew on GINN, Unity, and Compliance

During EVO NXT 2025 in Milan, GINN caught up with Michiel Carmel of Clew for a candid and inspiring conversation about the evolving nicotine pouch industry—and why collective action is more essential than ever. Reflecting on the energy and camaraderie of the previous evening’s GINN Aperitivo, Michiel noted, “I thought last night was an amazing…