For many years, debates about nicotine regulation have been framed as a choice between allowing products onto the market or banning them altogether. As new smoke-free nicotine products have emerged, public discussion has often focused on restrictions relating to flavours, nicotine concentrations, advertising, taxation, or outright prohibition. While these policy debates remain important, they can…
Why Product Standards May Matter More Than Product Bans As governments around the world consider how best to regulate emerging nicotine products, policy discussions often become polarized between those advocating prohibition and those supporting market access. Bangladesh’s latest initiative suggests there may be another path. The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has released a…
Public health policy depends on informed decision-making. Whether developing regulation, advising patients, or supporting smoking cessation, decisions are only as effective as the information on which they are based. When scientific evidence is misunderstood, selectively interpreted, or communicated without appropriate context, the consequences can extend beyond public debate and influence individual health behaviours. This challenge…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…