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.
Policy governance
Reporting and evidence on Policy governance.
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Ireland’s vape flavour ban advances despite warnings it could send ex-smokers back to cigarettes
Ireland’s vape flavour crackdown has cleared its final Seanad hurdle despite warnings it could drive former smokers back to cigarettes and force independent shops to shut.
German tax blunder leaves vape duty missing in action
Germany’s finance ministry has managed an unusual feat: trying to raise tobacco taxes while apparently deleting the current tax rate for vape liquids.
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.
Don’t shut off smokers’ escape route, Labour MPs warn ministers
Labour MPs have urged ministers to protect vaping as a route out of smoking, as the Government targets 1 June 2027 for a UK-wide advertising ban.
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.
French vapers get budget reprieve as new tax left out of initial draft
French vapers and businesses have been given a temporary reprieve after the initial draft of the country’s 2027 budget left out any new tax on e-liquids.
A European House Divided
While a TPD Revision Compromise Looks Impossible, Brussels is Walking into a Trust and Credibility Crisis