News&ViewsPodcast | Tobacco Asia - InterTabac

TobaccoAsia/ InterTabac Podcast #54

Mark McQuillan, Nicobrand Thomas Schmid interviews Mark McQuillan, the managing director of Nicobrand, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical-grade nicotine suppliers. McQuillan explains what truly qualifies nicotine as "pharmaceutical grade." For instance, beyond basic monographs, it requires regulatory audits, drug master files, and strict impurity controls. McQuillan argues that all next-generation products like pouches and e-liquids should use pharma-grade nicotine to ensure consumer safety. The global nicotine market is roughly 1,000–1,500 metric tons annually, with nicotine pouches growing fastest. McQuillan also stresses the importance of supply chain transparency and correcting the widespread misconception that nicotine itself causes cancer.

TobaccoAsia/ InterTabac Podcast #53

Dr. Charles Gardner In this episode, Thomas Schmid speaks with developmental neurobiologist Dr. Charles A. Gardner about the demonization of nicotine. Gardner explains that nicotine has been wrongly conflated with tobacco and smoking, leading to widespread misinformation — including 80% of US physicians falsely believing nicotine causes cancer. Gardner argues that safer alternatives like vapes, pouches, and snus are vital harm reduction tools, yet prohibitionist policies often ban them while leaving deadly cigarettes legal. Prohibition, he notes, drives products underground and worsens outcomes. Gardner also highlights nicotine's potential health benefits: helping prevent Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, reducing symptoms of ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, BPD, and schizophrenia, improving focus, and decreasing anxiety. To shift public perception, he advocates amplifying voices of older ex-smokers who quit cigarettes by using reduced risk products, echoing strategies from cannabis activism. His core message: nicotine is not the enemy — preventable deaths from combustible cigarettes are. Policy should prioritize harm reduction over demonizing a molecule.

TobaccoAsia/ InterTabac Podcast #52

Waqas Khan, Clew Thomas Schmid interviews Waqas Khan, global CEO of Clew, discussing how the nicotine pouch brand became the world's third-largest by distribution in just two and a half years. Khan attributes this rapid success to building a complete manufacturing ecosystem with pharma-grade facilities and prioritizing quality over cost. The brand has launched in 50 countries across five regional hubs, customizing products for local taste preferences. A major achievement has been penetrating the travel retail sector, with Clew now present in over 15 duty-free locations worldwide. Khan explains how the brand pioneered nicotine pouch listings in challenging markets like Thailand by working directly with regulators and demonstrating FDA authorization. The conversation also covers recent expansions into Colombia, Sweden, Morocco, and the Philippines, plus insights on navigating complex regulatory environments in markets like Japan and China's evolving nicotine regulations.

TobaccoAsia/ InterTabac Podcast #51

Allen Liao - China's New Oral Nicotine Rules – And What They Mean for the Industry In this episode, Thomas Schmid interviews Dr. Allen Liao, founder of Tobacco China Online, about China's groundbreaking regulations on oral nicotine products that took effect in January 2025. The new framework—covering everything from nicotine pouches to nicotine patches—came with no transition period, catching many smaller manufacturers off guard. Liao explains why the government moved so swiftly, how the rules will reshape the entire supply chain, and what it means for local companies. While some businesses may face closure or consider relocating their production overseas, Liao assures that this is not the end of China’s oral nicotine sector. Far from it. The bulk of suppliers and manufacturers will see this as an opportunity in a standardized, fully regulated market.

TobaccoAsia/ InterTabac Podcast #50

Shem Baldeosingh Director GINN – The Global Institute for Novel Nicotine Thomas Schmid interviews Shem Baldeosingh, the director of the Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN). Shem discusses GINN’s foundation in 2024, its mission to promote safer nicotine products, and its evolution into a structured organization with global influence. He highlights GINN’s advocacy for non-combustible and non-vaping products like oral nicotine pouches and mentions significant markets including Spain and Saudi Arabia. The discussion also covers regulatory challenges, regional dynamics, and future opportunities in Asia and indeed around the world, emphasizing the importance of standards, regulatory engagement, and consumer protection. Shem addresses innovations in nicotine delivery formats and urges policy makers and industry leaders to anchor decisions in comparative risk and consumer behavior data to build trust and credibility in the emerging nicotine sector.