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Category: Science & Innovation

  • Bloomberg Reports on Uncertain Future of FDA Nicotine Rule

    Bloomberg Reports on Uncertain Future of FDA Nicotine Rule

    Bloomberg Law reports that the Biden-era FDA proposal to slash nicotine levels in cigarettes faces uncertainty after being excluded from a key regulatory agenda under the Trump administration. Yesterday’s article, titled “Tobacco Industry Fights Biden’s Proposed Cigarette Nicotine Cut,” highlights nearly 5,000 public comments showing a split between industry opposition, citing economic and legal concerns, and public health advocates supporting the rule as a critical step to reduce smoking.

    The piece details how cigarette makers argued the proposed nicotine standard is technically and legally unachievable, while experts say the FDA has the authority to issue the rule without reducing nicotine to zero. The report includes commentary from former FDA officials, attorneys, and tobacco control researchers.

  • Study Finds Nicotine Pouches May Aid Smokers in Quitting

    Study Finds Nicotine Pouches May Aid Smokers in Quitting

    Nicotine pouches may be helping some smokers and vapers quit more harmful tobacco products, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. An article today (September 15) in U.S. News & World Report cited the study of 110,000 Americans that found people who had recently quit smoking were nearly four times more likely to use nicotine pouches daily than current smokers. Use was virtually nonexistent among people who had never used tobacco.

    According to the article, the findings suggest that pouches are being used as harm-reduction tools, even though they are not officially authorized as smoking cessation aids. Smokeless tobacco users were more than 10 times as likely to use the pouches, while occasional smokers and vapers were also significantly more likely to adopt them, the study said.

    The article acknowledged that while nicotine is addictive and carries cardiovascular risks, switching from combustible tobacco to pouches could represent a net public health benefit.

  • CORESTA Launches Public Knowledge Repository

    CORESTA Launches Public Knowledge Repository

    The CORESTA Consumer Reported Outcome Measures (CROM) Task Force announced that it has released its new Knowledge Repository, a centralized platform providing free public access to psychometric and descriptive CROM related to tobacco and nicotine research. The tool is designed to streamline the selection and implementation of CROM for scientists, regulators, and industry stakeholders.

    The repository currently includes 36 psychometric CROM across domains such as perceived dependence, quality of life, and intention to use, with detailed information on sources, characteristics, and psychometric properties. It also catalogs 57 descriptive questions, complete with response options and recommendations, which can be exported directly to Word for survey development.

    With smart search and flexible browsing features, the repository aims to simplify comparison and selection of measures for research projects. The Task Force invites users to explore the resource at www.coresta.org/crom and share feedback on its application.

  • Japanese Scientists Find Why Smoking Protects Against Ulcerative Colitis

    Japanese Scientists Find Why Smoking Protects Against Ulcerative Colitis

    A team from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Japan’s largest comprehensive research institution, uncovered why smoking appears to protect people with ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic bowel disease. The study, published today (August 25) in Gut, found that smoking produces metabolites such as hydroquinone, which allow oral bacteria like Streptococcus mitis to colonize the gut. In UC patients, these bacteria trigger an immune response that reduces inflammation.

    The effect does not extend to Crohn’s disease, where the same immune reaction makes symptoms worse.

    Lead researcher Hiroshi Ohno said the discovery could pave the way for new probiotic or prebiotic therapies that replicate smoking’s benefits without its health risks.

  • PMI Urges FDA to Educate Doctors on Harm-Reducing Alternatives

    PMI Urges FDA to Educate Doctors on Harm-Reducing Alternatives

    A new white paper from Philip Morris International U.S. (PMI U.S.) warns that many American healthcare providers misunderstand nicotine and tobacco harm reduction, limiting their ability to advise patients on safer alternatives to smoking.

    Survey results cited in the report show that half of medical professionals incorrectly believe nicotine causes cancer, while most are unaware which products are FDA-authorized for reduced harm. The paper stresses that the real health risks come from tobacco combustion, not nicotine itself, and switching to FDA-reviewed smoke-free products can significantly reduce harm for adults who continue to use nicotine.

    PMI U.S. calls on the FDA to actively educate providers, noting that 93% of surveyed doctors want guidance on lower-risk products and 95% would share it with patients. The report highlights that the U.S. is falling behind other countries in offering scientifically validated smoke-free options and emphasizes the need for science-based policy in tobacco harm reduction.

    The white paper is available here.

  • ‘Clear’ E-Cigarettes Linked to Higher Heart Risks

    ‘Clear’ E-Cigarettes Linked to Higher Heart Risks

    A new study suggests that e-cigarettes marketed as “clear” (i.e. less flavorful and potentially not subject to flavor bans) may pose greater cardiovascular risks than other vapes. In the Journal of the American Heart Association, researchers reported that “clear vape” users experienced sharper spikes in blood pressure, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure compared with non-users and users of menthol or other flavored products.

    In tests with young adult participants, clear vapers showed nearly 10 mm Hg increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, along with a 10 beat-per-minute rise in heart rate. Chemical analysis of 19 “clear” products revealed they all contained odorless synthetic cooling agents such as WS-3 or WS-23, and most also included menthol and other flavorings, raising concerns about violations of state flavor bans.

    Researchers said the synthetic additives may make vaping smoother, leading to higher puff volumes and nicotine exposure. They called for more studies to assess the health impact of these chemicals and warned that “clear” products, though marketed as neutral, may in fact deliver more harmful cardiovascular effects.

  • Study: Nicotine-Free Vape Liquids Linked to Fetal Skull Changes in Mice

    Study: Nicotine-Free Vape Liquids Linked to Fetal Skull Changes in Mice

    A new Ohio State University study suggests that even nicotine-free e-cigarette liquids can affect fetal development. Researchers exposed pregnant mice to two common vape humectants—propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG)—at different ratios. Offspring exposed in utero to a “safer” 30/70 PG/VG blend were born lighter and had narrower faces and shorter skulls than those exposed to filtered air or a 50/50 mix.

    “This had no nicotine, and it’s still having effects on the development of the skull in our model, which was not anything we expected,” said lead author James Cray, professor of anatomy. Cray said that propylene glycol has been associated with enhanced nicotine absorption in e-cigarettes, prompting many companies to increase glycerol content in newer formulations in an effort to market them as safer.

    The findings, published in PLOS One, challenge assumptions that high-VG formulations are safer and highlight potential risks for people unaware they are pregnant. Cray said the results underscore the need to study nicotine-free vaping products as closely as those that contain nicotine.

  • Study: Curiosity-Based Messaging Reduces Nicotine Misperceptions

    Study: Curiosity-Based Messaging Reduces Nicotine Misperceptions

    Many Americans still misunderstand nicotine’s role in smoking, with some wrongly believing it causes cancer or isn’t addictive, according to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication and Rutgers University’s Institute for Nicotine & Tobacco Studies.

    In a new Scientific Reports study, researchers focused on three groups of smokers who have “been targeted by the tobacco industry and tend to hold more false beliefs about nicotine” than other populations: Black/African American adults, rural adults, and young adults.

    The study found that messages designed to spark curiosity—such as posing questions or sharing surprising statistics—were more effective at correcting nicotine false beliefs than fact-only statements, though the best approach varied by audience. The findings could help shape public education ahead of a proposed FDA rule to cap nicotine levels in cigarettes, which remain harmful regardless of nicotine content.

  • Study Links Teen Vaping to a Resurgence in Smoking Risk

    Study Links Teen Vaping to a Resurgence in Smoking Risk

    A new study is raising alarms that the decades-long decline in youth smoking could be at risk due to the rise of e-cigarettes. The research, conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Michigan, Penn State University, and Purdue University, suggests that teen vaping may be acting as a “gateway” to traditional cigarette use.

    According to the study, teen smoking rates have been in a steep decline since the 1970s, a result of widespread anti-smoking campaigns and stricter regulations. However, the study’s data suggests that for a new generation of youth, those protective measures may be failing.

    The research finds that the probability of a non-vaping teen becoming a regular cigarette smoker is extremely low—less than a 1-in-50 chance. But for a teen who has tried vaping, that risk jumps to more than 1 in 10, and for consistent vapers, the odds rise to nearly 1 in 3.

    The authors of the study, including Jessica Mongilio of the University of Michigan, are using their findings to advocate for stronger regulations on e-cigarette marketing and sales. They believe that building a strong body of evidence is essential to pushing for policy changes that could protect young people from nicotine addiction and prevent a reversal of the hard-won gains against tobacco use.

  • Tobacco Use Linked to Higher Depression and Anxiety in Adolescents: Study

    Tobacco Use Linked to Higher Depression and Anxiety in Adolescents: Study

    A recent study in PLOS Mental Health showed that adolescents who use e-cigarettes or traditional tobacco products have a higher likelihood of depression and anxiety than non-tobacco users.

    The study looked at more than 60,000 U.S. middle school and high school students between 2021 and 2023.

    According to the study, adolescents using tobacco reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety while adolescents using both e-cigarettes and conventional tobacco products showed higher risk of these mental health issues.

    The authors of the study stated that “while causality cannot be determined, the results from this study showed that all forms of tobacco use were significantly associated with mental health issues. There is a need to continue promoting mental health support and implementing tailored interventions to combat all forms of tobacco use among adolescents.”