Nicotine Science and Policy
By Harry Shapiro Aug. 13, 2026
Harry's blog 134: Filtering out lies and misinformation
The only major global journal focused on harm reduction has gone bust. Since 2017, Filter has advocated through journalism for rational and compassionate approaches to drug use, drug policy and human rights, while also standing out for its coverage of tobacco harm reduction. Its closure is a significant loss - particularly at a time when well-funded opponents of tobacco harm reduction continue to thrive.
August 28, 2026 by substack.com
JAMA Article on E-Cigarettes Makes Refreshingly Sound Recommendations to Clinicians
A JAMA article supporting clinician conversations about e-cigarettes should make the debate more precise. The evidence is strongest for adult smokers who use vaping as a route away from cigarettes, not for vague claims about nicotine use in general. That distinction matters because policy can either support full switching or bury it under uncertainty. Medical guidance should separate evidence from values clearly enough for smokers to understand their options.
August 28, 2026 by substack.com
When Evidence Challenges the Status Quo: Senator Dorinda Cox and Australia’s Tobacco Policy Reckoning
Evidence can be uncomfortable because it forces policy to confront its own assumptions. In tobacco control, that matters most where safer nicotine products are still treated as distractions rather than tools that may help smokers leave cigarettes behind. A serious public health debate should be able to change direction when the data changes. Protecting the status quo is not the same as protecting people from harm.
August 28, 2026 by planetofthevapes.co.uk
New Zealand Drives Quit Success
New Zealand’s quit success shows what happens when smokers are given practical routes away from cigarettes. Vaping has played a visible role in accelerating the shift from combustion, especially for adults who need more than willpower or repeated warnings. The lesson is not that every policy can be copied wholesale, but that access, affordability and honest risk communication matter. Smoking falls faster when lower-risk alternatives are treated as tools, not threats.
August 28, 2026 by smokefreesweden.org
Vaping doubles smokers’ chances of quitting, major new report finds
A major new report finding that vaping can double smokers’ chances of quitting should bring more seriousness to the harm reduction debate. Adult smokers need tools that work in real life, not just idealised messages about abstinence. Vaping is not risk-free, but its public health value lies in helping people move away from combustible tobacco. Clear advice should reflect the evidence: quitting cigarettes is the priority, and lower-risk alternatives can help make that possible.
9.90% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 867,000 current smokers in Sweden 11.70% of men are current smokers but only 8.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
August 27, 2026 by clearingtheair.eu
Op-Ed: Harry Shapiro – Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction
The new Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction report points to a movement that continues despite resistance, denial and political discomfort. Around the world, people are moving away from cigarettes through safer nicotine products, even where policy has been slow to recognise the shift. That progress should not be ignored because it challenges older tobacco-control assumptions. Harm reduction is no longer a marginal idea; it is part of the real-world response to smoking.
August 17, 2026 by gsthr.org
The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2026: A Situation Report
In its fifth major report, the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) estimates around 200 …
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Blogs
Harry's blog 134: Filtering out lies and misinformation
The only major global journal focused on harm reduction has gone bust. Since 2017, Filter has advocated through journalism for rational and compassionate approaches to drug use, drug policy and human rights, while also standing out for its coverage of tobacco harm reduction. Its closure is a significant loss - particularly at a time when well-funded opponents of tobacco harm reduction continue to thrive.
Harry’s blog 133: Silence is consent
Two tobacco control consultations that demand your attention
I’m sure there are many of you like me who are deeply cynical about public consultations. They often feel like political tick box exercises allowing the issuing authority from local councils to international organisations to say they have ‘consulted with the people’, when in truth they knew exactly what they were going to do from the get-go.
Harry’s Blog 132: “Zyn! Went The Strings Of My Heart” (with apologies to Judy Garland)
FDA approval of 20 nicotine pouch products is another step forward for tobacco harm reduction
The FDA in the U.S. has granted marketing authorisation for Zyn nicotine pouch products (five variations on mint plus five other flavours in two different strengths).
In its letter to PMI (who own Zyn manufacturers Swedish Match), the FDA wrote:
Based on our review of your MRTPAs [Modified Risk Tobacco Applications] we determined that the proposed modified risk tobacco products, …as actually used by consumers would significantly reduce harm and the risk of tobacco-related disease to individual tobacco users and benefit the health of the population as a whole, taking into account both users of tobacco products and persons who do not currently use tobacco products. Therefore, we authorize marketing of the tobacco products as modified risk tobacco products with the following modified risk information – “Using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis”.