Scientists and physicians warned that pervasive myths about nicotine are preventing millions of smokers worldwide from switching to safer, proven alternatives.
In a panel discussion at the 8th Summit on Tobacco Harm Reduction: Novel Products, Research & Policy in Athens, 200 experts from 51 countries delivered a clear message: global tobacco control should be driven by scientific evidence—not ideology—and must recognize harm reduction as an essential strategy for smokers who can’t or won’t quit.
The event was organized by SCOHRE, the International Association on Smoking Control & Harm Reduction, on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2025.
Tobacco harm reduction offers a science-driven public health approach that minimizes the risks of smoking by encouraging the use of less harmful alternatives like e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches. Though quitting entirely is ideal, experts view these alternatives as practical solutions for smokers.
Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, a Greek physician and research associate, cited the scientific community’s responsibility to accurately convey nicotine’s effects in order to challenge prevailing myths. He warned that neglecting this duty allows misinformation to persist, causing both healthcare providers and the public to wrongly perceive nicotine as inherently dangerous.
Research shows that while nicotine is addictive, it is not the primary driver of smoking-related diseases.
Dr. Giovanni Li Volti, a Biochemistry professor at the University of Catania, referenced research indicating that nicotine poses no significant threat to cardiovascular health and is not linked to recurrent strokes. He argued that if nicotine were inherently dangerous, the use of nicotine replacement therapies would be illogical.
Despite the evidence, Li Volti acknowledged that misconceptions about nicotine remain pervasive. “This stems from our shortcomings as scientists in effectively communicating,” he said, noting the failure to clearly distinguish nicotine’s effects from the dangers of combustion byproducts. He added that robust human epidemiological data does not link nicotine alone to heightened risks of cardiovascular disease or cancer.
Dr. Rohan Andrade Sequeira, a cardio-endocrine specialist in Mumbai, highlighted the real-world impact of misinformation, pointing to India’s widespread use of local oral tobacco and its link to alarmingly high oral cancer rates.
With nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) showing only a 7 percent global success rate, he noted that the remaining 93 percent of users often relapse, stuck in harmful habits without viable alternatives. Sequeira sees nicotine pouches as a promising step toward shifting India away from its entrenched tobacco practices.
Damian Sweeney, chair of New Nicotine Alliance Ireland, pointed to Sweden as compelling evidence of tobacco harm reduction in action. Although the country’s nicotine consumption aligns with the EU average, most of it comes from snus, a smokeless tobacco product. This shift has driven Sweden’s smoking rate down to just 5 percent, the lowest in the EU, backed by strong real-world data. Sweeney warned that misinformation surrounding nicotine and safer alternatives can be “as deadly as smoking itself.”
Sweeney stressed the importance of the consumer voice, encouraging individuals to share their firsthand experiences with innovative nicotine products directly with policymakers. Supporting this, Farsalinos pointed to the damaging effects of misinformation, citing his 2017 survey which revealed that only 5 percent of smokers understood that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than traditional smoking. “Without accurate information,” he warned, “people won’t even consider quitting through harm reduction.”
Clive Bates, former director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) UK, pointed to strong evidence showing that all non-combustible nicotine products carry significantly lower risks than smoking.
He criticized the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) for straying from its original mission to reduce smoking, accusing it of obstructing harm reduction efforts. Bates called for a “coalition of the willing” among FCTC member states to push back against the WHO and its secretariat, urging them to embrace harm reduction and abandon what he described as a “fanatical” stance on nicotine.
The panel emphasized that scientists should consistently share evidence-based insights through every available platform, while media organizations bear the responsibility of correcting false narratives and offering fair, informed coverage of harm reduction.
