GFN News

GFN 2024 Keynote #3 given by Vivien Azer, hosted by David Sweanor, response from Jonathan Fell Vivien is a nicotine market specialist, and until recently, the Managing Director & Senior Analyst, Global Beverages, Tobacco and Cannabis, at TD Cowen, in New York City. In her keynote she will address a number of themes, among them: - What factors prompted and drove initial investment in this field? -...

Michael Russell Award 2024 - presented to Dr. Colin Mendelsohn by Professor Gerry Stimson

GFN 2024 Keynote #2 - delivered by Garrett McGovern, response from Alex Wodak - titled "Over/misinterpretation of the precautionary principle in relation to safer nicotine". Whilst no activity has a total absence of risk, science has to embrace risks and challenges to evolve. The over/misinterpretation of the precautionary principle is often an impediment to progress. Drawing on his experience of...

GFN 2024 Keynote #1 - delivered by Andrzej Fal, hosted by Grzegorz Król, response from Michelle Minton - titled "Health and economic benefits of tobacco harm reduction". - What does the current evidence tell us about the potential health and economic benefits of safer nicotine products? - How should we weight this evidence? - What more do we need to know, what is the prognosis for the future and w...

2024 Michael Russell Oration - delivered by Cliff Douglas - President and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Action to End Smoking - titled "Bridging the Divide: Taking Global Action to End Smoking"

What’s holding up the transformation to safer nicotine products in low-income and middle-income countries, known as LMICs? In India, there are over 300 million tobacco users, with many using what Dr. Sudhanshu Patwardhan calls “risky forms of tobacco” that significantly increase cancer severity. Hear Dr. Sud’s “bottom of the pyramid” plan to supercharge the tobacco transformation in LMICs. Featuri...

Australia intensified its war on vaping with new, punitive regulations that will criminalize nicotine vaping products to an extent unseen in the Western world. The government explicitly states that its goal is to 'reverse the increasing uptake of recreational nicotine. Featuring: Fiona Patten Former Member, Parliament of Victoria, Australia Chair, Australian Consumers’ Association Harm Reduction,...

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...