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Category: Science & Innovation

  • Study Focuses on Tobacco and Cannabis Habits of Young Americans

    Study Focuses on Tobacco and Cannabis Habits of Young Americans

    A University of Michigan study of 8,722 Americans aged 12–34 who had used a tobacco, nicotine, and/or cannabis product within the last month found that traditional smoking remains prevalent even as vaping and edibles grow in popularity. Researchers identified six main usage patterns: combustible tobacco (31%), multiple forms of cannabis (27%), nicotine vaping (18%), combined use of nicotine, tobacco, and cannabis (14%), cannabis edibles only (5%), and multiple forms of nicotine and tobacco (5%).

    The study also highlighted narrowing gender differences and higher usage rates among Black and African American youth and young men, suggesting targeted prevention and cessation programs are needed. The study appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and was funded by the National Cancer Institute and NIH.

  • Youth-Focused Bans Hurt Older Vapers: Haypp Survey

    Youth-Focused Bans Hurt Older Vapers: Haypp Survey

    “Much of the debate on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is focused on restricting youth access to vapes,” Haypp Group said in a press release announcing its latest survey. “While there are legitimate concerns around underage access to vapes, the introduction of broad product restrictions or bans may inadvertently exclude older segments of the population and impact the number of older smokers switching to vapes.” 

    In surveying 501 adult vape users in the UK, Haypp data found 87% of vapers aged 55 and over started vaping to quit smoking, compared with much lower rates in younger groups. The over-55 cohort was also the most positive about switching, with 92% saying they felt better after moving from cigarettes, and 55% citing health as the main benefit.

    The findings suggest older smokers—who face higher long-term health risks—could be disproportionately affected by product bans that limit access to regulated alternatives. Haypp said policymakers should consider more targeted youth protections while preserving access and accurate information for adult smokers seeking to switch.

  • Researchers Find Enzyme that Drives Nicotine, Smoking Dependence

    Researchers Find Enzyme that Drives Nicotine, Smoking Dependence

    New research has revealed that astrocytes—brain glial cells once thought to be passive—actively contribute to nicotine-induced changes that reinforce addiction. The study, led by Professor Eun Sang Choe at Pusan National University in South Korea, shows that astrocytic glutamine synthetase (GS) regulates locomotor sensitization after repeated nicotine exposure, highlighting a previously overlooked mechanism in the brain’s reward system.

    Using rat models, the team found that nicotine activated α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on astrocytes in the caudate and putamen, triggering intracellular calcium surges. This led to activation of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (pJNK), which interacted with metabotropic glutamate receptor 1a (mGluR1a) to boost GS activity and the glutamate-glutamine pathway, enhancing locomotor sensitization. Blocking this pathway with a custom inhibitory peptide reduced GS activity and dampened nicotine-induced behavioral changes.

    The findings underscore the importance of neuron-glia communication in addiction and offer new directions for research into nicotine dependence. While clinical applications remain distant, Professor Choe says the study “deepens our understanding of nicotine addiction, paving the way for development of therapeutic strategies to support smoking-cessation efforts.”

  • Dutch Researchers Alarmed that Teens Wake to Vape

    Dutch Researchers Alarmed that Teens Wake to Vape

    A new Dutch study reports unusually high levels of nicotine dependence among secondary school pupils, with more than one-third of teenage smokers saying they wake up at night because they need nicotine. The research, published in the European Journal of Pediatrics, surveyed 978 students across five schools and found that 396 had smoked or vaped in the past year and 183 used nicotine daily. Most began around age 13 and often progressed to cigarettes, which researchers said highlights the need for stronger limits on youth access.

    Doctors involved in the study said night-time vaping is a clear marker of addiction and warned that many parents remain unaware their children smoke. Addiction expert Reinout Wiers of the University of Amsterdam told de Volkskrant he was surprised by the extent of night-time use, calling it “alarming.”

    The findings coincide with a new government anti-vaping campaign, amid repeated warnings from lung specialists as severe vaping-related medical cases emerge in the Netherlands. Other research has found that some youth-favored vapes contain toxic metals, carcinogenic chemicals, and nicotine levels above legal limits.

  • Young Children Gaining Access to Nicotine Products: Kenyan Survey 

    Young Children Gaining Access to Nicotine Products: Kenyan Survey 

    According to the 2024 Data on Youth and Tobacco in Africa survey, Kenya is facing a rise in tobacco experimentation among extremely young children, claiming that smokeless tobacco and roll-your-own cigarettes are reaching children as young as 5 years old. According to the survey, 6.5% of adolescents had tried tobacco at least once, and 2.5% used it within the past 30 days.

    Researchers said children as young as 6 had tried manufactured cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and/or shisha, while vape use was found by age 9. Only 5.4% of the youth surveyed reported being denied purchase of e-cigarettes, and 8.7% were blocked from purchasing cigarettes.

  • Using Tobacco with Cannabis Tied to Unique Brain Changes: Study

    Using Tobacco with Cannabis Tied to Unique Brain Changes: Study

    A small study from McGill University suggests that people who use both tobacco and cannabis show distinct brain chemistry changes compared to cannabis-only users. Published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, the study said brain scans revealed higher levels of the enzyme FAAH, which regulates the endocannabinoid system and has been linked to addiction and anxiety. This may help explain why co-users often report worse mental health outcomes.

    While the study did not include tobacco-only users and remains preliminary, researchers say the findings highlight a possible molecular mechanism behind the risks of combined use and could inform future treatments for cannabis use disorder.

  • FDA Deploys Agentic AI to Assist Regulatory Reviews

    FDA Deploys Agentic AI to Assist Regulatory Reviews

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the deployment of agentic AI capabilities to all agency employees, a move expected to streamline complex, multi-step regulatory tasks — including pre-market reviews, post-market surveillance, inspections, and compliance activities that would be of interest to those in the tobacco and nicotine industries.

    The new systems allow staff to build multi-model AI workflows capable of planning, reasoning, and executing tasks under human oversight. The tools are optional and operate within a secure GovCloud environment, with no training on industry-submitted data.

    In an email to StatNews, an FDA spokesperson called the tool “exploratory” and said that the AI agents do not make regulatory decisions. “All outputs from AI are reviewed and validated” by FDA staff “before being incorporated into any official regulatory action, ensuring that the AI remains a support tool rather than a decision maker,” he wrote.

    The deployment follows the success of Elsa, an internal LLM tool launched in May and now used by more than 70% of FDA personnel. The agency is also launching a two-month Agentic AI Challenge, with selected projects to be showcased in January 2026.

    FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the upgrades mark a major step in modernizing regulatory operations, while Chief AI Officer Jeremy Walsh highlighted the potential to accelerate and validate safety assessments across all FDA-regulated sectors — including tobacco.

  • NZ Survey Shows Teen Vaping Falling, Smoking Near Zero

    NZ Survey Shows Teen Vaping Falling, Smoking Near Zero

    A new Action on Smoking and Health survey of more than 30,000 “year 10 students” shows New Zealand’s youth vaping rates have dropped significantly, with regular vaping halving since its 2021 peak of 20.2%. Daily vaping has also fallen to 7.1%, down from the 2022 high of 10.1%, while fewer than one-third of teens have ever tried vaping. Chairperson professor Robert Beaglehole says vaping is “not as cool as it used to be” and credits regulation and shifting perceptions.

    Youth smoking, meanwhile, has nearly disappeared. Daily smoking sits at just 1%, a level Beaglehole calls a “major global success” and evidence that New Zealand is “raising a smoke-free generation.” He warns, however, that excessive regulation could undermine progress by pushing people back toward cigarettes.

    Some experts remain concerned about inequities and product substitution. Associate Professor Andrew Waa cautions that some teens may be turning to oral nicotine products and argues for a “nicotine-free future.”

  • Greece Utilizing Technology to Shield Minors

    Greece Utilizing Technology to Shield Minors

    Greece rolled out three new digital tools this week designed to strengthen enforcement of its bans on selling tobacco and alcohol to minors, following legislation passed in July 2025. The first two tools are registers: one for businesses hosting events with minors and the second, a national register for all tobacco and alcohol retailers. The third tool is a secure digital age-verification mechanism for both in-store and online sales, where buyers verify age via a mobile-scanned QR code, using technology adapted from Greece’s KidsWallet system.

    Under the stricter law, businesses selling or offering tobacco to minors face fines of €500–€10,000 and potential license suspension or permanent revocation for repeat violations. Individuals can face fines and up to three years in prison for offenses including selling tobacco to minors or using children to sell tobacco. Advertising restrictions on tobacco products—including vapes—also carry fines of €500–€10,000.

  • Dutch Hospitals Tracking ER Nicotine Cases Today

    Dutch Hospitals Tracking ER Nicotine Cases Today

    Today (November 13), hospitals across the Netherlands are recording the number of patients arriving at emergency rooms with medical problems linked to smoking, vaping, and/or snus, in a nationwide effort to measure nicotine’s impact on emergency care, NOS reports. The initiative, led by Dr. Nicole Kraaijvanger of Leiden University Medical Center, aims to provide concrete data on how nicotine use contributes to acute medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and chronic bronchitis.

    The results of the study, supported by medical associations and prevention groups, are expected to guide future smoking and vaping policies in the Netherlands.