Trust Recovery: A 10-Point Plan for Public Health to Regain Credibility on Nicotine
Public health institutions have lost the trust of nicotine users. Rebuilding it requires specific actions: acknowledge errors, communicate honestly, include consumers, and prioritize accuracy over simplicity. The plan exists. The will does not.
1. Acknowledge past communication errors. 2. Commit to accuracy over simplicity. 3. Communicate the spectrum of risk. 4. Include nicotine users in policy processes. 5. Fund independent research. 6. Make regulatory decisions transparent. 7. Evaluate policies for unintended consequences. 8. Prioritize equity. 9. Respect consumer autonomy. 10. Measure and report trust metrics. **This plan is evidence-based, actionable, and politically improbable—because it requires public health institutions to share power with the people they serve.**
