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Category: Science & Innovation

  • Study: (Non-FDA-Approved) Vapes Emit More Toxic Metals Than Cigarettes

    Study: (Non-FDA-Approved) Vapes Emit More Toxic Metals Than Cigarettes

    A study from UC Davis, published in ACS Central Science, raised alarms about the safety of popular disposable e-cigarettes, revealing that some devices emit higher levels of toxic metals—notably lead, nickel, and antimony—than traditional cigarettes. Tests confirmed that toxic metals stemmed from leaded bronze components and degrading heating coils, with early detection of antimony even in unused e-liquids.

    Researchers tested seven disposable devices across three major brands—Elfbar, Flum Pebble, and Esco, which are not FDA-authorized for use in the U.S. but are widely sold by retailers—simulating 500–1,500 puffs per device. The report said one device released more lead in a single day’s use than nearly 20 packs of cigarettes. Four of the devices emitted nickel and lead at levels surpassing safety thresholds for neurological and respiratory damage. Two exceeded cancer risk limits due to antimony content.

  • Study: Nicotine Pouches “Game-Changer” for Women Quitting Smoking

    Study: Nicotine Pouches “Game-Changer” for Women Quitting Smoking

    New research from Smoke Free Sweden reveals oral nicotine pouches are a game-changer in Sweden’s path to becoming the world’s first smoke-free nation – and are driving unprecedented success among women. The report, Power in a Pouch, launched today (June 17) in Strasbourg, shows since their introduction in 2016, tobacco-free pouches have helped to accelerate the decline in smoking for both genders, with a nearly 200% rise in quit rates among women. Sweden’s smoking rate is now 5.3%, just above the 5% smoke-free benchmark. Male lung cancer deaths are 61% below the EU average; total cancer deaths, 34% lower.

    “The evidence is crystal clear: nicotine pouches are the most effective way to help smokers – especially women – quit,” said report co-author Dr. Marewa Glover, a behavioral scientist from New Zealand. “Health data and women’s testimonials show pouches are safe, socially acceptable, and fit modern lifestyles. They’re pragmatic, effective, and our best hope for a smoke-free future.”

  • blu Vapes Help Smokers Cut Down, New Studies Find

    blu Vapes Help Smokers Cut Down, New Studies Find

    New research from Imperial Brands shows that its vape product, blu, is helping adult smokers reduce or quit smoking—even among those who had no plans to stop.

    Two behavioral studies tracked smokers who started using blu and found cigarette use dropped by nearly 30% within a week. At a six-month follow-up, up to 40% had significantly reduced or stopped smoking altogether. Flavors played a key role in the switch, with nearly 29% of users preferring fruit flavors, and 60% saying they’d keep using blu because of the flavor options.

    “This is potentially very positive news for public health,” said Elizabeth Clarke, Imperial’s Scientific Substantiation Lead.

    The findings will be presented at the Global Forum on Nicotine 2025 in Warsaw this week and submitted for academic publication later this year.

  • Study: Time to Age Tobacco Leaves Shortened

    Study: Time to Age Tobacco Leaves Shortened

    Researchers in China explored how microbial aging affects the flavor quality of flue-cured tobacco and reported that under controlled conditions for 12 months, they were able to replicate results that typically take two to three years to occur naturally.

    Bacillus, particularly Bacillus velezensis TB-1, was identified as a key microorganism linked to aroma development during aging.

    Using solid-state fermentation, B. velezensis TB-1 was applied to low-grade tobacco leaves, significantly boosting levels of important volatile compounds like 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, megastigmatrienone, and 2-methyl-hexanoic acid, which are associated with desirable flavors. Sensory evaluation confirmed improved aroma and taste, demonstrating a promising strategy for enhancing tobacco quality through microbial fermentation.

    The initial findings were filed with Frontiers in Microbiology today (June 17), with a formal paper expected to be published soon.

  • CAPHRA: Facts, Not Myths, Must Guide Harm Reduction

    CAPHRA: Facts, Not Myths, Must Guide Harm Reduction

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) released a new white paper, “Understanding Nicotine: The Facts, Not the Myths,” warning that persistent misinformation about nicotine is undermining global efforts to reduce smoking-related harm.

    “Nicotine is not what causes cancer or heart disease. It’s the toxic smoke from burning tobacco that kills,” said Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA. “Decades of fear-based messaging have confused the public and even health professionals.”

    CAPHRA’s research highlights that over 60% of smokers still mistakenly believe nicotine is the primary cause of cancer, discouraging them from switching to vastly safer smoke-free alternatives like vapes, nicotine pouches, patches, and gums.

    The white paper emphasizes that while nicotine can lead to dependence, its use in non-combustible forms carries only a fraction of the risk associated with smoking. CAPHRA urges governments to embrace risk-proportionate policies and stop demonizing nicotine.

    “It’s time to move beyond outdated myths and focus on harm reduction strategies that save lives,” Loucas said. “Public health policies must be grounded in science, not stigma.”

  • Nicotine May Improve Cognitive Issues

    Nicotine May Improve Cognitive Issues

    A growing body of research suggests that nicotine patches and gum, traditionally used to help people quit smoking, may offer off-label benefits for treating various cognitive issues like ADHD, Alzheimer’s, brain fog, schizophrenia, depression, and Parkinson’s disease. Doctors like Edward Levin (Duke University) and Paul Newhouse (Vanderbilt) have found that nicotine can stimulate brain receptors tied to attention and memory.

    One 2023 study reported that nicotine patches improved concentration in long COVID brain fog sufferers, sparking interest from users like Slate writer Hannah Singleton, who found that low-dose nicotine gum dramatically improved her focus.

    Unlike tobacco products, nicotine patches deliver the substance in controlled, low-risk doses, making them potentially safe for non-smokers. However, experts caution that this remains experimental, with no FDA-approved protocols yet. Still, amid ongoing stimulant shortages, nicotine’s role as a cognitive aid is gaining attention.

  • Study: Switching to Vapes, HTPs Boosts Fitness in Just Weeks

    Study: Switching to Vapes, HTPs Boosts Fitness in Just Weeks

    A study published in Scientific Reports reveals that smokers who switch to electronic cigarettes or heated tobacco products (HTPs) can achieve significant improvements in aerobic capacity as early as four weeks after quitting cigarettes. The study, led by researchers at the Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) of the University of Catania in Italy, provides the first-ever prospective evidence that substituting combustible cigarettes with noncombustible alternatives can measurably enhance cardiorespiratory performance.

    The study, a secondary analysis of the CEASEFIRE trial, used the Chester Step Test to monitor changes in VO₂max, the gold-standard metric for aerobic fitness. Smokers who either quit entirely or substantially reduced their cigarette consumption showed rapid and clinically meaningful increases in VO₂max. These gains were observed equally in users of e-cigs and HTPs, highlighting the potential of combustion-free products as harm reduction tools that also restore physical performance.

    “For young smokers, improved cardiovascular health or reduced cancer risk may seem like distant concerns,” said Riccardo Polosa, a professor at the university and co-author of the study. “But the promise of better fitness, faster recovery, and enhanced athletic performance speaks directly to their lifestyle and aspirations. This could be a more persuasive argument for quitting than traditional risk-based messaging.”

  • New Technology for Nicotine Pouches May Improve Oral Health

    New Technology for Nicotine Pouches May Improve Oral Health

    A new study suggests damage to the gums and oral lining caused by products like nicotine pouches or snus may be reversed by switching to a new, gum-protective technology. A team of researchers from universities and dental clinics in Sweden, Poland, Indonesia, Moldova, and the UK—with support from the Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) in Catania—published the results of their pilot study in Acta Odontologica Scandinavica.

    Twenty-three Swedish dentists, all regular users of snus or nicotine pouches, participated in the five-week observational study. The participants switched exclusively to using a new technology nicotine pouch featuring a plant-based inner barrier, designed to protect sensitive tissues in the mouth by reducing direct contact with the gums and the oral mucosa from the contents of the pouch. Self-reported oral health status and photographic documentation of their oral conditions were noted before and after the study.

    The prevalence of self-reported snus lesions decreased from 95.7% to 69.6%. The severity of these lesions also decreased by 52%, with 39% of moderate-to-severe lesions completely disappearing by the end of the study. Self-reported cases of gingivitis (gum inflammation) were eliminated, and gingival irritation decreased by 90%.

    “Not all nicotine pouches are created equal. This is a positive step forward for tobacco harm reduction,” said Prof. Riccardo Polosa, founder of CoEHAR. “This development marks real progress in tobacco harm reduction. By engineering products that minimize risk and help smokers quit, we achieve an unequivocal win for public health.”

    The findings support the idea that technological innovation can make nicotine products less harmful, especially for adults seeking alternatives to smoking.

  • CAPHRA Issues Report on Suppressing, Distorting Information

    CAPHRA Issues Report on Suppressing, Distorting Information

    A new report from the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) raised concerns about the long-term consequences of suppressing or distorting scientific information during public health crises. Titled “The Cost of Concealment: The People Pay the Price,” the report examines how failures in transparency and accountability can erode public trust and compromise health outcomes. 

    The report identifies a recurring pattern in which political pressures, institutional interests, and reputational concerns have influenced how critical health information is communicated. This pattern, the report suggests, has been evident in past events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently in the restructuring of the National Institutes of Health in the United States, and Argentina’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization.

    “In times of crisis, the public depends on officials and scientists to provide clear, objective, and timely information,” said Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator for CAPHRA. “When this duty is compromised, the consequences are measured not just in lost trust, but in lost lives.”

    The report emphasizes that limited transparency and selective reporting can have global ramifications, empowering misinformation, weakening public institutions, and leading to ineffective policy responses. It concludes with a call for renewed commitment to ethical standards, transparency, and scientific independence, and urges officials, researchers, and institutions to prioritize public welfare over political or personal interests.

    “When science is manipulated or dissenting views are silenced, it ceases to be a tool of discovery and becomes a tool of conformity,” said Clarisse Virgino, CAPHRA’s representative in the Philippines.

    Read the entire report here. 

  • ESPAD Ireland Sees All-Time Low in Smoking, Vape on Rise 

    ESPAD Ireland Sees All-Time Low in Smoking, Vape on Rise 

    Ireland recorded its lowest levels of teenage smoking and alcohol consumption in three decades, according to the 2024 Irish report of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD). However, the findings saw increases in e-cigarette use, alternative nicotine products, and adolescent gambling.

    ESPAD Ireland said 12% of students reported being current smokers, with daily smoking falling to just 2%, both all-time lows in Ireland’s 30 years of participating in the survey. However, 32% of respondents said they had tried e-cigarettes, and 7% reported daily use. Of those who tried vaping, 76% never used a cigarette. Cannabis use also dropped from 19% in 2019 to 12% in 2024.

    “While the downward trend is encouraging, the data also reveals the continuing challenge: young people are still being drawn into tobacco and nicotine use—be it cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or emerging nicotine products,” said Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy. “We must act decisively to break this cycle.”