The Families Left Out of the Nicotine Policy Debate

Beatriz Santos | 15th July 2026 | Comment

Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Beatriz Santos argues that both scientific evidence and lived experience should remain the foundation of policymaking, especially for understanding how people succeed in quitting cigarettes.

Nicotine use is changing faster than ever in recent history. Over the past two decades, Innovative Nicotine Products (INPs) such as vapes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches have transformed the market, offering adult smokers alternatives to combustible cigarettes that did not exist a generation ago. These products are not risk-free. Concerns about youth uptake, marketing practices, and long-term health effects deserve serious attention and regulation. However, focusing only on those risks can overshadow an important question. What role can INPs play for adults who would otherwise continue smoking? And for their loved ones? Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable illness and premature death. Around 81,000 people die in the UK each year from smoking-related diseases. For smokers, quitting nicotine altogether is the ideal outcome. But perfect should not become the enemy of good. For many, moving away from combustible cigarettes may be a more realistic first step. Evidence from c...

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