Briefing Papers


Dead ends - the tobacco industry's quest for a ‘safe’ combustible cigarette

Tobacco companies spent decades denying any link between smoking and disease, while also trying to develop a ‘safe’ cigarette. This Briefing Paper sets out to tell the story of this quest, looking at the roles played both by those within and outside of the tobacco industry.

English 209 Web page
English 127 PDF Document

Safer nicotine product taxation and optimal strategies for public health

This Briefing Paper examines the current global situation regarding the taxation of safer nicotine products and how this relates to product accessibility, before offering evidence-based policy recommendations for optimal taxation strategies in support of harm reduction goals and public health.

English 1194 Web page
English 193 PDF Document

How snus is replacing smoking in Norway: a revolution led by consumers and product innovation

While Sweden recently became the first smokefree country, its neighbour, Norway, is also experiencing plummeting smoking rates. This Briefing Paper explores why so many Norwegians have switched from deadly cigarettes to much safer snus.

English 1358 Web page
English 98 PDF Document
Spanish 141 PDF Document

Pro-consumer laws and an endorsement for vaping: why smoking is disappearing in Aotearoa New Zealand

This Briefing Paper tells the story of Aotearoa New Zealand's rapid and growing embrace of vaping, providing another important case study showcasing the potential of tobacco harm reduction to help bring down smoking rates.

English 1395 Web page
English 303 PDF Document
Spanish 294 PDF Document
German 107 PDF Document
Indonesian 31 PDF Document

A smokefree UK? How research, policy and vapes have cut smoking rates

The number of people who vape in the United Kingdom is soon set to exceed the number who smoke for the first time. This Briefing Paper explores the United Kingdom’s progress towards becoming smokefree, highlighting both the successes and the challenges.

English 2680 Web page
English 1051 PDF Document
German 912 PDF Document
Polish 847 PDF Document
Portuguese 847 PDF Document
Spanish 822 PDF Document
Swahili 815 PDF Document
Russian 486 PDF Document
French 291 PDF Document

Smoking and vulnerable populations: supporting smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction in social work

Social workers build relationships with individuals who are often from marginalised or vulnerable communities where smoking rates are disproportionately high. This Briefing Paper calls for tobacco harm reduction to become more integrated into their work to reduce the harms from smoking.

English 4159 Web page
English 2248 PDF Document
Arabic 2223 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 3480 PDF Document
French 2552 PDF Document
German 2324 PDF Document
Hindi 1774 PDF Document
Indonesian 2179 PDF Document
Japanese 2164 PDF Document
Polish 2194 PDF Document
Russian 2126 PDF Document
Spanish 2264 PDF Document
Swahili 2220 PDF Document
Portuguese 317 PDF Document

Cigarette sales halved: heated tobacco products and the Japanese experience

In the ten years following the introduction of heated tobacco products to Japan, sales of cigarettes have fallen by 52% in Japan. This Briefing Paper explores some of the factors that have helped bring about this startling decline alongside the rapid growth of heated tobacco products.

English 5217 Web page
English 2204 PDF Document
Arabic 2033 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 3251 PDF Document
French 2023 PDF Document
German 2053 PDF Document
Hindi 2084 PDF Document
Indonesian 2366 PDF Document
Japanese 2257 PDF Document
Polish 2096 PDF Document
Russian 2022 PDF Document
Spanish 2616 PDF Document
Swahili 2129 PDF Document

Tobacco harm reduction and people experiencing homelessness – a UK perspective

With such high smoking rates among people who experience homelessness or rough sleeping in the UK, this Briefing Paper looks at the potential for tobacco harm reduction to help reduce the health inequalities seen in this vulnerable population.

English 4728 Web page
English 2584 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 3097 PDF Document
French 2441 PDF Document
Portuguese 2506 PDF Document
Russian 2105 PDF Document
Spanish 2521 PDF Document

Tobacco harm reduction consumer advocacy organisations

Tobacco harm reduction consumer advocacy organisations play a vital role in maintaining access to safer nicotine products around the world. Here we explore the development, role and importance of these grassroots groups.

English 3978 Web page
English 1642 PDF Document
Arabic 2295 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 2416 PDF Document
French 2501 PDF Document
German 2372 PDF Document
Hindi 2191 PDF Document
Indonesian 2295 PDF Document
Japanese 2286 PDF Document
Polish 2245 PDF Document
Portuguese 2011 PDF Document
Russian 2258 PDF Document
Spanish 2200 PDF Document
Swahili 2094 PDF Document


The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the Conference of the Parties (COP): an explainer (updated April 2023)

With the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) taking place in November 2023, here's our updated guide to explain how the meeting works. Scroll down to access this document in multiple languages.

English 3313 Web page
English 2235 PDF Document
Arabic 1608 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 2331 PDF Document
French 1769 PDF Document
German 1837 PDF Document
Hindi 1562 PDF Document
Indonesian 1799 PDF Document
Japanese 1819 PDF Document
Polish 1956 PDF Document
Portuguese 1827 PDF Document
Russian 1795 PDF Document
Spanish 2158 PDF Document
Swahili 1607 PDF Document

What are nicotine pouches?

Nicotine pouches are a relatively new product which can provide users of high-risk tobacco with an alternative that poses fewer risks to their health. Here we provide an introduction to the tobacco harm reduction potential of this category.

English 4332 Web page
English 1258 PDF Document
French 788 PDF Document
German 1578 PDF Document
Indonesian 1300 PDF Document
Polish 2137 PDF Document
Portuguese 1149 PDF Document
Russian 1265 PDF Document
Swahili 907 PDF Document
Spanish 179 PDF Document

The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2022: The Right Side of History

This Briefing Paper summarises The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2022: The Right Side of History, which charts the history of tobacco harm reduction to date, and considers the future for a strategy that could end smoking.

English 1639 Web page
English 1450 PDF Document
Arabic 1544 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 1876 PDF Document
French 1331 PDF Document
German 1280 PDF Document
Hindi 1155 PDF Document
Indonesian 1214 PDF Document
Japanese 1448 PDF Document
Polish 1217 PDF Document
Portuguese 1263 PDF Document
Russian 1230 PDF Document
Spanish 1265 PDF Document
Swahili 1305 PDF Document

What is snus?

Used in Scandinavia for more than 200 years, snus is providing smokers in Sweden and Norway with an alternative to combustible cigarettes, but what is it and why is it considered a safer nicotine product? This Briefing Paper aims to provide the answers.

English 2258 Web page
English 1316 PDF Document
Arabic 3192 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 5496 PDF Document
French 1378 PDF Document
German 1674 PDF Document
Hindi 816 PDF Document
Indonesian 1759 PDF Document
Japanese 1345 PDF Document
Polish 1853 PDF Document
Portuguese 1736 PDF Document
Russian 1618 PDF Document

Tobacco harm reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa

With the number of tobacco users across the continent set to rise by 2025, we look at the current state of tobacco harm reduction in the region, assessing the progress made so far and the obstacles preventing greater adoption of safer nicotine products.

English 1376 Web page
English 1120 PDF Document
Arabic 1303 PDF Document
French 1421 PDF Document
Swahili 1121 PDF Document