Tobacco harm reduction and illicit trade | #GFN26

'Safer nicotine products will replace combustible cigarettes’ - Michael Russell Oration 2026 #GFN26

In this compelling presentation, Dr. Alex Wodak explores the inevitable and rapid shift from combustible tobacco to safer nicotine alternatives. Moving beyond just the obvious health benefits, Dr. Wodak dives deep into the broader impact of these disruptive technologies and outlines why harm reduction advocates are crucial in shaping future legislation. Welcome to the "post-smoking world"—and how we navigate the transition. In this video, you’ll learn: - why safer nicotine products are set to completely displace smoking soon; - the multi-layered impact of tobacco harm reduction (beyond just physical health); - the vital role advocates play in upcoming legislative battles.

Tobacco harm reduction and illicit trade | #GFN26

What happens when governments implement blanket bans on Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) products? In this insightful panel discussion, experts from around the world expose the dangerous, unintended consequences of over-regulation and prohibition - what moderator John Fell calls the "invisible foot." From street-level corruption to billion-dollar criminal enterprises, our panel explores how prohibition fails to stop consumer demand and instead directly fuels global organized crime.

A beacon of reason in a ideological war | GFN26 Closing remarks by Konstantinos Farsalinos

Is public health losing its way? In his 13th presentation at the Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN), Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos delivers a powerful address on the "ideological war" surrounding tobacco harm reduction. As supranational organizations and regulatory bodies lean heavily toward dogmatic prohibitions and restrictive frameworks, Dr. Farsalinos argues that the foundational principles of true public health—empathy, compassion, and human autonomy—are being left behind in favor of a moralistic "quit or die" agenda. Tune in to discover why defending science-backed, safer alternatives isn't just a matter of medicine and epidemiology, but a fundamental fight for human rights and personal freedom.

GFN Insights #19 | Why Tobacco Use in Malawi Hits the Poorest the Hardest?

In this episode, researcher Chimwemwe Ngoma breaks down a comprehensive national study analyzing the tobacco use patterns of over 30,500 adults. While an overwhelming 95% of Malawians do not use tobacco, the data reveals a stark socioeconomic divide: smoking prevalence among the poorest communities is double that of the wealthiest. Tune in to discover how factors like education and wealth influence the choice between combustible, smokeless, and dual tobacco use, and why the heaviest health burden falls on the most disadvantaged.

GFN.TV Interviews #89 | PEOPLE OVER POPULATION | Reem Ibrahim on Freedom, Moral Panic & Prohibition

The battle over safer nicotine products is certainly about health, but it’s also about something more important: autonomy. As governments embrace nicotine restrictions driven by moral panic and public health paternalism, adult choice is increasingly treated as a threat instead of a right to be respected. In this episode of GFN Interviews, Reem Ibrahim of Reason examines the growing conflict between individual freedom and population-level control. From disposable vape bans and black markets to anti-capitalist hostility toward tobacco harm reduction, Ibrahim argues public health is drifting toward prohibition and away from the people it claims to protect. Featuring: REEM IBRAHIM Research Fellow, Policy & Media, Reason Magazine @reemamiribrahim reemabrahim.com