Nicotine Science and Policy
By Harry Shapiro June 12, 2026
Harry’s Blog 131: Hidden harms
New publications from K•A•C discuss the challenge of smoking in treatment services caring for those who are HIV positive or coping with drug problems.
Smoking rates among those who are HIV positive and those who use drugs (as well as those with mental health problems where there may well be overlap) are anything from two to four times higher than the general adult smoking rates of most developed countries. One study of those receiving opiate substitute treatment recorded a smoking prevalence rate of 85%. Why should this be?
July 03, 2026 by clearingtheair.eu
Nearly half of online pouch customers tried them to quit smoking or vaping, survey finds
Survey findings suggest that many online nicotine pouch customers are using them as part of a move away from smoking or vaping. Nearly half reportedly tried pouches to quit, showing that smoke-free alternatives can play a role in real-world behaviour change. Policy should recognise why adults choose these products rather than assuming all use is the same. Harm reduction works best when regulation reflects consumer motivations, relative risk and practical routes away from more harmful products.
July 03, 2026 by gfn.tv
THR Unfiltered #2 | How should we think about nicotine addiction?
Nicotine addiction should be understood with nuance, not moral panic. Dependence is real, but it should not be confused with the harms caused by burning tobacco. For people who smoke, moving to lower-risk nicotine products can reduce exposure to the toxicants responsible for most smoking-related disease. Better policy starts by separating addiction, risk and harm — and by helping people make safer choices.
14.10% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 39.8 million current smokers in United States 17.10% of men are current smokers but only 11.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
July 03, 2026 by worldvapersalliance.com
Kenya's Tobacco Control Bill Should Follow Science, Not Fear
Kenya’s tobacco control bill should be guided by science, not fear. Regulation must protect young people, but it should also recognise the difference between combustible cigarettes and lower-risk nicotine alternatives. If safer products are restricted too heavily, adult smokers may be left with fewer realistic options to quit. Evidence-based policy should reduce harm, preserve informed choice and keep alternatives within legal, regulated markets.
6.40% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 2.3 million current smokers in Kenya 12.10% of men are current smokers but only 0.90% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
July 03, 2026 by planetofthevapes.co.uk
The ‘Donald Trump Of Fake Science’
Bad science becomes a public health problem when weak claims are repeated as certainty. In nicotine policy, flawed studies and exaggerated conclusions can distort risk perception, fuel moral panic and push regulation away from evidence. Vaping should be scrutinised, but criticism must be grounded in robust methods, fair comparisons and context on relative risk. Public health loses credibility when advocacy is dressed up as science.
July 03, 2026 by maldivesindependent.com
A WHO rate, unseen studies and a U-turn: Maldives makes cigarettes cheaper
The Maldives’ decision to make cigarettes cheaper raises serious questions about the consistency of tobacco policy. If public health advice is shaped by opaque studies and international pressure while lower-risk alternatives remain restricted, smokers may be left with the most harmful option made more affordable. Reducing harm requires transparent evidence, proportionate regulation and policies that distinguish between combustible tobacco and safer nicotine products. Public health should not protect cigarettes by default.
28.80% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 120,000 current smokers in Maldives 43.30% of men are current smokers but only 3.20% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
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Blogs
Harry’s Blog 131: Hidden harms
New publications from K•A•C discuss the challenge of smoking in treatment services caring for those who are HIV positive or coping with drug problems.
Smoking rates among those who are HIV positive and those who use drugs (as well as those with mental health problems where there may well be overlap) are anything from two to four times higher than the general adult smoking rates of most developed countries. One study of those receiving opiate substitute treatment recorded a smoking prevalence rate of 85%. Why should this be?
Harry’s blog 130: Follow the science not the money
For the sake of public health, end virtue signalling about THR funding
I arrived into the world of tobacco harm reduction (THR) from drugs and HIV harm reduction in 2015. I was invited into KAC by two valued colleagues from my previous world who were perfectly up front (and have never hidden the fact) that the funding for the organisation came from the Foundation for a Smoke Free World which in turn was funded by Philip Morris International. And the reason that they were prepared to use this money to further the cause of THR was that no other prospective funders for a harm reduction project were interested. Nobody back in the day was excited by the fact that if you could separate nicotine use from combustion the relative risk was massively reduced and the potential health gains enormous.
Harry’s blog 129: Prohibition: the lessons we never learn
Australia’s unnecessary nicotine war lights up,
As reported on the website of ALIVE, the Australian vaping advocacy movement, “Australia's ongoing battle against tobacco has led to some of the strictest regulations in the world, particularly concerning vaping and cigarette pricing. While the government has framed these policies as necessary for public health, the unintended consequences have sparked a growing crisis.”