My colleagues and I just submitted this public comment to FDA opposing its proposal to allow sales of flavored e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) on the grounds that benefits to adults would outweigh harms to kids. It also presents evidence that two-way communication between ENDS and external agencies (that could include ENDSContinue reading “FDA should drop its draft guidance to allow some sales of flavored e-cigs because it ignores evidence that harm to youth outweighs theoretical benefits to adults”
Category Archives: tobacco companies
I surprised Michael Smerconsih when he interviewed me about UK generational smoking ban
On April 23, 2026, Michael Smerconsih interviewed me about the UK Generational Smoking ban. I surprised him by arguing that generational smoking bans are bad public policy because they divert resources from more effective tobacco control policies that had faster public health benefits. I am also skeptical that they will be maintained in the longContinue reading “I surprised Michael Smerconsih when he interviewed me about UK generational smoking ban”
MAHA claims that nicotine is good for you echo decades of tobacco industry propaganda
The New York Times recently highlighted how many “Make America Healthy Again” influencers are promoting the benefits of nicotine, including reversing Alzheimer’s Disease and improving cognition. While we don’t know what role the tobacco companies are playing in this latest resurgence of claims that nicotine is a beneficial substance that poses little or no risk,Continue reading “MAHA claims that nicotine is good for you echo decades of tobacco industry propaganda”
Nicotine pouches maintain the nicotine market for tobacco companies
Nicotine pouches (like ZYN and on!) are being touted by some advocates as a “harm reduction” alternative to smoking cigarettes. Kelvin Choi and colleagues examined whether this happens in real life in their new paper “Patterns of tobacco product use among US adults who use nicotine pouches and the association between nicotine pouch use andContinue reading “Nicotine pouches maintain the nicotine market for tobacco companies”
California’s “Unflavored Tobacco List” will improve compliance with and enforcement of flavored tobacco ban
Last year California passed AB 3218 to tighten up and simplify compliance with and enforcement of California’s ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products. Part of this was to have the Attorney General establish and maintain an Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL) that included those tobacco products that could be sold legally in California. toContinue reading “California’s “Unflavored Tobacco List” will improve compliance with and enforcement of flavored tobacco ban”
What the BAT chief scientist had to say about causality half a century ago
E-cigarette advocates, global warming deniers and social media companies continue to sidestep the implications of research showing dangers of their products by, among other things, retreating behind the high walls of claims that the evidence is not “causal.” To put these claims in context, it is worth re-reading the last couple paragraphs from our bookContinue reading “What the BAT chief scientist had to say about causality half a century ago”
Spinola et al support Brazil’s e-cigarette ban while defending implementation criticism
Shortly before the 11th WHO Framework Convention On Tobacco Control Conference of the Parties in November 2025, Vitoria Borges Spinola, Lucas Porto Santos, Hamilton Roschel, Bruno Gualano, and Megan E. Roberts published “Weak enforcement of Brazil’s E-cigarette ban and the expansion of a dangerous illicit market” in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas arguing thatContinue reading “Spinola et al support Brazil’s e-cigarette ban while defending implementation criticism”
UCSF makes 60,000 more Juul documents public, bringing total to 4.9 million documents so far
The UCSF Industry Documents Library added close to 60,000 Juul Labs documents produced by the Settling States in the multistate litigation against Juul Labs. Files include memos, emails, flavor focus group reports, prospective investor reports, support tickets and more. This brings the total number of Juul Labs files to 4.9 million documents and growing! CheckContinue reading “UCSF makes 60,000 more Juul documents public, bringing total to 4.9 million documents so far”
FDA broke the law when it did not allow TPSAC to vote on whether to allow PMI to make modified risk claims for ZYN
The FDA held a meeting of its Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) on January 22, 2026 to discuss Swedish Match’s application to make the modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) claim for its ZYN flavored nicotine pouches “Using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer,Continue reading “FDA broke the law when it did not allow TPSAC to vote on whether to allow PMI to make modified risk claims for ZYN”
E-cigarettes increase harm to smokers, so should not be promoted as a harm reduction strategy (in 10 slides) now available in 10 other languages
My blog post “E-cigarettes increase harm to smokers, so should not be promoted as a harm reduction strategy (in 10 slides)” has attracted a lot of interest, so I have translated it into 10 other languages. Click below to download. These translations were done with Powerpoint. If native speakers have suggestions for improvement, feel free toContinue reading “E-cigarettes increase harm to smokers, so should not be promoted as a harm reduction strategy (in 10 slides) now available in 10 other languages”
Stanton Glantz blog 