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 421 Web page
English 313 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 1739 Web page
English 303 PDF Document
Portuguese 170 PDF Document
Swahili 162 PDF Document
Indonesian 159 PDF Document
German 132 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 1469 Web page
English 195 PDF Document
Spanish 233 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 1557 Web page
English 491 PDF Document
Spanish 494 PDF Document
German 286 PDF Document
Indonesian 281 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 2739 Web page
English 1069 PDF Document
German 959 PDF Document
Polish 874 PDF Document
Portuguese 874 PDF Document
Spanish 858 PDF Document
Swahili 860 PDF Document
Russian 522 PDF Document
French 320 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 4197 Web page
English 2271 PDF Document
Arabic 2248 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 3576 PDF Document
French 2580 PDF Document
German 2357 PDF Document
Hindi 1806 PDF Document
Indonesian 2202 PDF Document
Japanese 2189 PDF Document
Polish 2222 PDF Document
Russian 2149 PDF Document
Spanish 2312 PDF Document
Swahili 2245 PDF Document
Portuguese 340 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 5282 Web page
English 2266 PDF Document
Arabic 2064 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 3319 PDF Document
French 2070 PDF Document
German 2086 PDF Document
Hindi 2118 PDF Document
Indonesian 2418 PDF Document
Japanese 2308 PDF Document
Polish 2127 PDF Document
Russian 2063 PDF Document
Spanish 2683 PDF Document
Swahili 2217 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 4858 Web page
English 2611 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 3125 PDF Document
French 2475 PDF Document
Portuguese 2532 PDF Document
Russian 2137 PDF Document
Spanish 2545 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 4002 Web page
English 1671 PDF Document
Arabic 2321 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 2445 PDF Document
French 2532 PDF Document
German 2406 PDF Document
Hindi 2218 PDF Document
Indonesian 2327 PDF Document
Japanese 2315 PDF Document
Polish 2270 PDF Document
Portuguese 2033 PDF Document
Russian 2283 PDF Document
Spanish 2232 PDF Document
Swahili 2121 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 3357 Web page
English 2292 PDF Document
Arabic 1641 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 2379 PDF Document
French 1812 PDF Document
German 1862 PDF Document
Hindi 1591 PDF Document
Indonesian 1852 PDF Document
Japanese 1886 PDF Document
Polish 1985 PDF Document
Portuguese 1861 PDF Document
Russian 1835 PDF Document
Spanish 2229 PDF Document
Swahili 1633 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 4392 Web page
English 1291 PDF Document
French 812 PDF Document
German 1673 PDF Document
Indonesian 1375 PDF Document
Polish 2326 PDF Document
Portuguese 1206 PDF Document
Russian 1313 PDF Document
Swahili 932 PDF Document
Spanish 220 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 1659 Web page
English 1470 PDF Document
Arabic 1571 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 1927 PDF Document
French 1351 PDF Document
German 1310 PDF Document
Hindi 1178 PDF Document
Indonesian 1239 PDF Document
Japanese 1470 PDF Document
Polish 1241 PDF Document
Portuguese 1287 PDF Document
Russian 1254 PDF Document
Spanish 1291 PDF Document
Swahili 1328 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 2318 Web page
English 1347 PDF Document
Arabic 3364 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 5663 PDF Document
French 1412 PDF Document
German 1730 PDF Document
Hindi 840 PDF Document
Indonesian 1807 PDF Document
Japanese 1443 PDF Document
Polish 1942 PDF Document
Portuguese 1801 PDF Document
Russian 1687 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 1404 Web page
English 1146 PDF Document
Arabic 1361 PDF Document
French 1541 PDF Document
Swahili 1175 PDF Document