Quitting smoking
Research, lived experience and policy coverage about stopping smoking or switching away from cigarettes. Explore cessation services, different approaches and how outcomes are measured.
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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.
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.
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.
Smoking among young Swiss people falls by almost a quarter in two years
The proportion of young people smoking in Switzerland fell by almost a quarter between 2023 and 2025, while monthly vaping remained broadly stable.
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.
Ireland to increase vape tax by 40 per cent from January
Ireland will raise its tax on vape liquids by 40 per cent from January, adding another €2 in duty to a 10ml refill bottle before VAT.
UK smoking falls below one in 10 ahead of nicotine pouch age restrictions
Smoking among UK adults fell below one in 10 in 2025, official figures show, as retailers prepare for new restrictions on sales of nicotine pouches and vaping products.
Dutch minister wants vaping as expensive as smoking under new tax plan
The Dutch government is preparing a new excise duty on vaping products that could make vaping about as expensive as smoking.
Major review finds nicotine pouches considerably less toxic than cigarettes
Nicotine pouches are considerably less toxic than cigarettes and could offer smokers a less hazardous alternative, a major review has found.
