From Evidence to Policy: Why the Research Is Clear and the Regulation Isn't
The evidence on nicotine harm reduction is consistent across countries and study designs: making reduced-risk products available accelerates smoking cessation. The policy in most countries ignores this evidence. The gap between evidence and policy is political.
The UK embraced vaping and smoking rates fell faster than in comparable countries. Sweden used snus and has Europe's lowest smoking mortality. New Zealand integrated vaping into cessation and accelerated smoking decline. **The evidence is consistent: harm reduction works. The global policy response is inconsistent: most countries restrict rather than embrace reduced-risk products. The gap between evidence and policy is not scientific. It's political—sustained by institutional interests, ideological commitments, and the exclusion of consumer voices.**
