GFN News

Under Spain's new anti-smoking plan, safer nicotine products will now be equated with smoking in the latest measures to restrict vaping in the country. Joining us today is Carmen Escrig, Coordinator of the Spanish Medical Platform for Tobacco Harm Reduction, who will highlight the pushback against this proposal and the institutional biases that helped create it in the first place.

When India's government added nicotine replacement therapies to its list of essential medicines, tobacco harm reduction advocates celebrated a win for smokers looking to quit. But was this success short lived, and has India returned to an anti-nicotine frame of mind? Joining us today to discuss India's track record with nicotine is journalist Samrat Chowdhery. Link to the arcticle: https://tobacco...

In today's episode Will Godfrey joins us to bring us the latest updates from the E-Cigarette Summit in Washington DC, USA, where the FDA stirred up controversy and the real impact of restrictive vaping policies was laid bare!

Despite suffering years of pernicious misinformation and an onslaught of regulation leading to product restrictions and bans, in many countries, the popularity of nicotine vaping continues unbridled growth. Indeed, according to Barnaby Page, editorial director at Tamarind Intelligence, it’s unstoppable! Featuring: Barnaby Page Editorial Director, Tamarind Intelligence ecigintelligence.com

In today's episode Gabriel Oke, a public health professional and researcher, puts a spotlight on the use of social media to disseminate misinformation during the EVALI scare and COVID-19 pandemic, and how advocates and policy makers are having to adapt to a new world of instant communication.

Australia has taken a hardline approach to vaping leaving smokers wanting to quit with few legal routes to access safer nicotine products. In today's episode leading Australian THR advocate Colin Mendelsohn asks, have these restrictions actually achieved their intended goals? In his recent evidence to Australian Senators, Colin set out how a compassionate approach could be the key to improving Aus...

In today's episode GFN Interviews host Brent Stafford swapped his usual interviewer's seat to join Joanna Junak to discuss all things #GFN24, the current global backlash to tobacco harm reduction from tobacco control proponents, and what he's learned since beginning to cover the world of tobacco harm reduction with Regulator Watch.

Tobacco policy in New Zealand could leave one with a touch of motion sickness as the country lurches back and forth in its effort to reduce smoking to five percent by 2025. Researcher Marewa Glover joins GFN Interviews to discuss the latest surprising shift and results of her new study on how New Zealand adults who smoke understand novel tobacco ‘endgame’ policies. Featuring: Dr. Marewa Glover Dir...

Colin Mendelsohn, a veteran Australian tobacco harm reduction advocate, recently had the opportunity to educate lawmakers about the science underpinning vaping, the moral panic surrounding nicotine and the consequences of Australia's prohibitionist stance on vaping. In this episode we have collected a series of powerful points that Colin made in his discussion with lawmakers.

Colombia has recently introduced new vaping regulations which have effectively equated vapes with tobacco products. In the name of reducing youth access to vapes, have the government sidelined smokers in the process? Joining us to explore this in today's episode is Francisco Ordoñez, founder and president of Asovape Colombia.

Slovenia has recently enacted a flavour ban that has further cemented its hardening attitude to vaping, but have consumers' voices been ignored throughout these considerations? Joining us today is Liza Katsiashvili of the World Vapers' Alliance to discuss the impact of FCTC and WHO directives on vaping regulations around Europe, and the consumer reaction to Slovenia's flavour ban.

Cliff Douglas is, as they say, the “real deal”. An essential attorney in the tobacco wars of the 1990s, an adviser to the U.S. FDA and Surgeon General and vice president of tobacco control at the American Cancer Society. He is a tobacco control veteran and now the leader of a global organization dedicated to reducing tobacco harm through harm reduction. Featuring: Clifford E. Douglas President & C...

The WHO has recently stirred controversy by sharing widely criticised claims about vaping on its social media accounts, so in today's episode of GFN News we ask, what's this all about? And has this happened before? Joining us today is Will Godfrey who filled us in on the latest chapter of the WHO's infodemic problem.

Nicotine pouches such as Zonnic and Zyn have taken many countries by storm, but in Australia heavy handed restrictions on nicotine have limited legal access to pouches. In today's episode, Colin Mendelsohn updates us on the rise of nicotine pouches in Australia, and the science supporting the claim that they are safer than smoking.

In today's episode of GFN News Chris Baxter shares his own views on the addictive nature of nicotine and the current state of nicotine research, and reflects on his GFN Five submission from GFN22 covering the addictiveness of nicotine.

Actions by anti-tobacco harm reduction advocates and organizations are “outrageous” and “disgusting,” says Ethan Nadelmann, legendary drugs harm reduction campaigner. Why are the lessons learned in the fight to end the war on drugs ignored in the battle to end the war on vaping? Featuring: Ethan Nadelmann Founder & Former Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance Podcast Host, PSYCHOACTIVE @ethanna...

Dive into a world of impactful insights as we unpack the most compelling takeawys from the first quarter of 2024 GFN News!

Mexico's President is seeking to solidify Mexico's hardline approach to vaping with a proposal to ban vaping through a constitutional amendment, to the consternation of vaping advocates who fear smokers will lose access to these safer alternatives in the country. Joining us to today is Tomás O'Gorman, co-founder of "Pro-Vapeo Mexico" and a member of INNCO’s Board, who highlights the hardening of M...

The rising popularity of nicotine pouches in the United States, in particular Zyn, has been met with backlash and misinformation, despite the proven efficacy of safer nicotine products in helping smokers quit. In today's episode we're joined by Martin Cullip of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance.who takes a closer look at the motivations behind this backlash and the actual evidence at stake.

Despite extensive regulatory barriers and massive misinformation on relative risk, consumers are transitioning from cigarettes to safer nicotine products at an extraordinary pace. In today’s episode tobacco control policy expert David Sweanor guides us through the remarkable growth of the U.S. vaping market and issues a warning to those who seek to stand in the way. Featuring: David Sweanor Adj. P...

The European Union is currently deliberating its regulatory approach to safer nicotine products as it reviews its Tobacco Products Directive. In a bid to ensure consumer voices are not lost amongst these discussions, the World Vapers' Alliance is bringing a petition before the European Parliament to reaffirm the need for proportionate regulation of safer products. In this episode of GFN News, the...

Despite the overwhelming evidence indicating that safer nicotine products are significantly less harmful than smoking, vaping misinformation has stoked mistrust of safer products, most notably seen in fears surrounding EVALI and youth vaping. In this episode, Will Godfrey looks at a recent study tracking the decreasing trust in vapes amongst the general public, and the real-world consequences that...

Zonnic pouches entered Canada with a bang in 2023 after they were approved as a smoking cessation aid, leading to their widespread availability throughout Canada. To explore why Zonnic has become so controversial, John Oyston joins us for this episode of GFN News where we dissect Zonnic's Canadian debut and the resultant response from Public Health institutions to this novel safer nicotine product...

The UK’s ban on disposable nicotine vapes demonstrates the many misbeliefs surrounding the “gateway” theory are thriving. But isn’t the theory that youth e-cig use is a gateway to smoking de-bunked? According to Dr. Arielle Selya it is and there’s no room for doubt. Featuring: Dr. Arielle Selya Behavioural Scientist, PinneyAssociates @ArielleSelya

#GFN24 will be hosting its very own film festival, showcasing the best short films from the GFN community exploring the vital role of tobacco harm reduction in the public health sphere. Multi-award-winning film maker Emmanuel Mwape joins us to tell us all about the GFN Film Festival, and what we have to look forward to live at #GFN24 in Warsaw!