Briefing Papers


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 1239 Web page
English 222 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 3174 Web page
English 1090 PDF Document
Arabic 1053 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 1229 PDF Document
French 1327 PDF Document
German 1073 PDF Document
Hindi 566 PDF Document
Indonesian 993 PDF Document
Japanese 1031 PDF Document
Polish 1083 PDF Document
Russian 1032 PDF Document
Spanish 1102 PDF Document
Swahili 1007 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 4163 Web page
English 1590 PDF Document
Arabic 1402 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 1795 PDF Document
French 1336 PDF Document
German 1442 PDF Document
Hindi 1416 PDF Document
Indonesian 1539 PDF Document
Japanese 1541 PDF Document
Polish 1444 PDF Document
Russian 1358 PDF Document
Spanish 1654 PDF Document
Swahili 1235 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 3986 Web page
English 2006 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 2246 PDF Document
French 1897 PDF Document
Portuguese 1959 PDF Document
Russian 1537 PDF Document
Spanish 1986 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 3623 Web page
English 1329 PDF Document
Arabic 1959 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 2006 PDF Document
French 2150 PDF Document
German 2051 PDF Document
Hindi 1811 PDF Document
Indonesian 1933 PDF Document
Japanese 1911 PDF Document
Polish 1901 PDF Document
Portuguese 1658 PDF Document
Russian 1913 PDF Document
Spanish 1893 PDF Document
Swahili 1780 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 2889 Web page
English 1913 PDF Document
Arabic 1264 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 1519 PDF Document
French 1367 PDF Document
German 1396 PDF Document
Hindi 1271 PDF Document
Indonesian 1335 PDF Document
Japanese 1329 PDF Document
Polish 1486 PDF Document
Portuguese 1387 PDF Document
Russian 1385 PDF Document
Spanish 1779 PDF Document
Swahili 1289 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 3123 Web page
English 854 PDF Document
French 478 PDF Document
German 952 PDF Document
Indonesian 833 PDF Document
Polish 989 PDF Document
Portuguese 569 PDF Document
Russian 728 PDF Document
Swahili 526 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 1344 Web page
English 1161 PDF Document
Arabic 1212 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 1284 PDF Document
French 1017 PDF Document
German 928 PDF Document
Hindi 838 PDF Document
Indonesian 881 PDF Document
Japanese 1088 PDF Document
Polish 887 PDF Document
Portuguese 926 PDF Document
Russian 868 PDF Document
Spanish 907 PDF Document
Swahili 953 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 1079 Web page
English 816 PDF Document
Arabic 905 PDF Document
French 839 PDF Document
Swahili 766 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 1524 Web page
English 982 PDF Document
Arabic 1467 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 2630 PDF Document
French 954 PDF Document
German 1056 PDF Document
Hindi 456 PDF Document
Indonesian 1297 PDF Document
Japanese 770 PDF Document
Polish 1226 PDF Document
Portuguese 1169 PDF Document
Russian 994 PDF Document

The right to health and the right to tobacco harm reduction

Tobacco harm reduction is not only a potentially life-saving public health intervention for the world’s 1.1 billion smokers, it's also supported by international human rights law. Here we make the case for promoting tobacco harm reduction as a health rights issue.

English 1429 Web page
English 863 PDF Document
Arabic 913 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 930 PDF Document
French 1092 PDF Document
German 942 PDF Document
Indonesian 889 PDF Document
Japanese 817 PDF Document
Polish 850 PDF Document
Portuguese 848 PDF Document
Russian 816 PDF Document
Spanish 1003 PDF Document
Swahili 881 PDF Document

What is Tobacco Harm Reduction?

Tobacco harm reduction is a potentially life-saving intervention for millions of people across the world who use high-risk tobacco products, offering them the chance to switch to a range of safer nicotine products. Here, we provide a detailed introduction to the principles, history and evidence for this vital public health strategy.

English 2785 Web page
English 1375 PDF Document
Arabic 1533 PDF Document
Chinese (Mandarin) 2169 PDF Document
French 1445 PDF Document
German 1420 PDF Document
Hindi 1230 PDF Document
Indonesian 1454 PDF Document
Japanese 1268 PDF Document
Polish 1142 PDF Document
Portuguese 1238 PDF Document
Russian 1361 PDF Document
Spanish 1746 PDF Document
Swahili 2181 PDF Document