Tobacco harm reduction
Explore the evidence and arguments around reducing harm from smoking through changes in products and behaviour. Coverage focuses on comparative risks and the harm-reduction approach, rather than every story about nicotine.
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Gutka: Tobacco Control’s Indifference to Improving Public Health
David Zaruk argues that global tobacco control’s approach to gutka exposes a contradiction in its public health priorities.
Smokers still getting the wrong message on vaping risks, English data shows
New English survey data highlights a persistent gap between smokers’ understanding of vaping risks and the evidence on harm and quitting.
Canadian campaigners want lifetime sales ban on vapes for next generation
Canadian health campaigners are pushing for a lifetime ban on tobacco and vape sales to the next generation, extending restrictions to products that can help smokers quit.
French vapers face fresh tax threat as MPs battle over nicotine rules
French MPs have revived plans to tax vape liquids, putting consumers back in the firing line just weeks after the government left vaping out of its draft budget.
Consumer advocate Skip Murray appointed to advise US FDA on nicotine regulation
Longtime consumer advocate Kim “Skip” Murray, who was the first ever interviewee for Clearing the Air back in 2024, has been appointed to the FDA’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC), which advises the US regulator on how to implement its tobacco and nicotine policies.
A story of two consultations: picking apart the Commission’s summary report
Peter Beckett examines what the European Commission’s summary of its nicotine consultations leaves out — and why the design of the questions matters.
New Zealand smokers turn to nicotine pouches despite sales ban
Nicotine pouch use has risen among smokers surveyed in New Zealand, with some using the products to quit cigarettes or cut down despite restrictions on sales.
INVESTIGATION: Who’s behind the anti-nicotine propaganda?
Pharmaceutical companies selling costly treatments for smoking-related diseases also fund organisations campaigning for tighter restrictions on safer nicotine products. Peter examines whether those relationships deserve closer scrutiny.
A European House Divided
While a TPD Revision Compromise Looks Impossible, Brussels is Walking into a Trust and Credibility Crisis
Estonia’s smoking rate falls by more than a quarter as vaping more than triples
Estonia has recorded one of Europe’s clearest recent shifts away from smoking, with current smoking falling by more than a quarter while vaping more than tripled between 2020 and 2024.
8 EU countries call for "market freeze" on all nicotine products
Eight EU countries have called for a “market freeze”, banning all new products containing any form of nicotine or substances “with nicotine like properties” from entering Europe, according to a letter sent to EU Commissioner Oliver Varheyli and published by the Dutch government.
EU Nicotine Consultations: The Value of 120,000 Lived Experiences
More than 120,000 responses were submitted to the EU’s tobacco and nicotine consultations. David Zaruk argues that policymakers should listen to the lived experiences of people who quit smoking and the businesses helping them.