Clearing the Air
@clearingtheair.bsky.social
Clearing the air provides multi-language news and analysis on tobacco and nicotine policy, with a European focus.
Nicotine pouches are now the #1 choice in Scandinavia. 🇸🇪🇳🇴 A massive 2026 study of 19 million orders confirms it: pouches have officially overtaken traditional snus in both Sweden and Norway. #NicotinePouches #HarmReduction #Sweden #Norway clearingtheair.eu/post/nicotin...
Nicotine pouches overtake snus in Scandinavia, study finds
Nicotine pouches have overtaken traditional snus in Sweden and Norway, according to a new analysis of online sales data covering more than seven years. The study, released as a preprint in JMIR…
clearingtheair.eu
February 6, 2026 at 10:06 AM
Nicotine pouches are now the #1 choice in Scandinavia. 🇸🇪🇳🇴 A massive 2026 study of 19 million orders confirms it: pouches have officially overtaken traditional snus in both Sweden and Norway. #NicotinePouches #HarmReduction #Sweden #Norway clearingtheair.eu/post/nicotin...
🚨 BREAKING: Don’t pack the pods. Mexico’s new vape ban is now in full force. 🇲🇽⛔ Travellers caught with a device face confiscation, fines up to $12,500, and a staggering 8 years in jail. If you’re heading to Mexico in 2026, leave the vape at home. #Mexico #VapeBan clearingtheair.eu/post/mexicos...
Mexico’s vape ban sparks jail threat for travellers
Mexico has begun enforcing a sweeping new ban on vapes, raising the risk of jail time and heavy fines for travellers who bring vape products into the country. The measures came into force on January…
clearingtheair.eu
February 5, 2026 at 10:04 AM
🚨 BREAKING: Don’t pack the pods. Mexico’s new vape ban is now in full force. 🇲🇽⛔ Travellers caught with a device face confiscation, fines up to $12,500, and a staggering 8 years in jail. If you’re heading to Mexico in 2026, leave the vape at home. #Mexico #VapeBan clearingtheair.eu/post/mexicos...
Mike Bloomberg has spent $1.6 billion undermining the fight against tobacco. This week we speak to David @zaruk - The Risk Monger - who researched how the money is washed into lobbying and anti-science initiatives that parrot Bloomberg talking points. clearingtheair.eu/post/intervi...
Interview: David Zaruk, The Risk Monger
David Zaruk (aka the Risk Monger) has been an EU risk and science communications specialist since 2000, active in EU policy events from REACH and SCALE to the Pesticides Directive. He is the editor…
clearingtheair.eu
February 4, 2026 at 10:18 AM
Mike Bloomberg has spent $1.6 billion undermining the fight against tobacco. This week we speak to David @zaruk - The Risk Monger - who researched how the money is washed into lobbying and anti-science initiatives that parrot Bloomberg talking points. clearingtheair.eu/post/intervi...
🚨 New Zealand youth vaping has plummeted to 7.1% while teen smoking hits a historic low of 1.1%. 📉🇳🇿 Teen smoking is nearly extinct even as adult smokers switch to safer alternatives. Real-world data 1, Scaremongering 0 #SmokeFree #HarmReduction clearingtheair.eu/post/youth-v...
Youth vaping halves and smoking drops to historic lows in New Zealand, ASH finds
Youth vaping in New Zealand has fallen sharply and smoking among teenagers is at historic lows, according to new national data from the ASH Year 10 Snapshot Survey. Health experts say the findings…
clearingtheair.eu
February 3, 2026 at 10:38 AM
🚨 New Zealand youth vaping has plummeted to 7.1% while teen smoking hits a historic low of 1.1%. 📉🇳🇿 Teen smoking is nearly extinct even as adult smokers switch to safer alternatives. Real-world data 1, Scaremongering 0 #SmokeFree #HarmReduction clearingtheair.eu/post/youth-v...
💥 📢 Opinion Piece: From “complete bullshit” to “harm production”- Roberto Sussman exposes the dogma masquerading as science in tobacco control. He argues that dismissing harm reduction isn't just a policy debate; it’s a rejection of the scientific method itself. clearingtheair.eu/en/post/opin...
OPINION: does tobacco control understand how science even works?
The author is Associate Professor at the Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico. Politico’s coverage of an event held by the European Respiratory Society reminds me…
clearingtheair.eu
February 2, 2026 at 2:20 PM
💥 📢 Opinion Piece: From “complete bullshit” to “harm production”- Roberto Sussman exposes the dogma masquerading as science in tobacco control. He argues that dismissing harm reduction isn't just a policy debate; it’s a rejection of the scientific method itself. clearingtheair.eu/en/post/opin...
🚨 New U.S. study confirms nicotine pouches cut smoking rates by nearly 50% in just 10 weeks. 📉🚭 The data is in: pouches aren't just a trend, they're a vital exit ramp from cigarettes. See the full results: clearingtheair.eu/post/nearly-... #HarmReduction #SmokeFree #QuitSmoking
Nearly half of smokers quit after switching to nicotine pouches, U.S. study finds
Nearly half of participants who smoked at the start of the study were not smoking after 10 weeks. Weekly cigarette use among participants fell from 15.9% to 8.1%. Almost a quarter of users switched…
clearingtheair.eu
January 30, 2026 at 9:58 AM
🚨 New U.S. study confirms nicotine pouches cut smoking rates by nearly 50% in just 10 weeks. 📉🚭 The data is in: pouches aren't just a trend, they're a vital exit ramp from cigarettes. See the full results: clearingtheair.eu/post/nearly-... #HarmReduction #SmokeFree #QuitSmoking
"Ongoing vaping prevents relapse... and should not be discouraged." - Peter Hajek, study lead. 🗣️⚖️ For the first time, data shows that the long-term use of vapes is a massive win for lung health. 🚀🚫🚬 #EvidenceBased #HarmReduction #UKHealth clearingtheair.eu/post/continu...
Continuing to vape linked to lower risk of smoking relapse, UK trial finds
Smokers who quit smoking with the help of vapes were less likely to relapse than those who quit using nicotine replacement therapy. Continued use of vapes after quitting was linked to lower relapse…
clearingtheair.eu
January 29, 2026 at 10:29 AM
"Ongoing vaping prevents relapse... and should not be discouraged." - Peter Hajek, study lead. 🗣️⚖️ For the first time, data shows that the long-term use of vapes is a massive win for lung health. 🚀🚫🚬 #EvidenceBased #HarmReduction #UKHealth clearingtheair.eu/post/continu...
INVESTIGATION: who exactly are Impact Unfiltered, the shady prohibitionist NGO that wants politicians to ignore citizens?
Why do they think nicotine users are "corporate sock puppets"?
We had a look...
clearingtheair.eu/en/post/inve...
Why do they think nicotine users are "corporate sock puppets"?
We had a look...
clearingtheair.eu/en/post/inve...
INVESTIGATION: How a mysterious NGO is smearing ordinary people.
The European Commission appears to have found a new tactic when it comes to responding to the views of people who respond to their consultations with opinions they don’t like: call them fake and…
clearingtheair.eu
January 28, 2026 at 2:28 PM
INVESTIGATION: who exactly are Impact Unfiltered, the shady prohibitionist NGO that wants politicians to ignore citizens?
Why do they think nicotine users are "corporate sock puppets"?
We had a look...
clearingtheair.eu/en/post/inve...
Why do they think nicotine users are "corporate sock puppets"?
We had a look...
clearingtheair.eu/en/post/inve...
Japan’s smoking rates have HALVED since 2015. 📉🇯🇵 All thanks to the rapid rise of heated tobacco. While the EU debates inconvenient truths, Japan is actually delivering a smoke-free future. 🚭✨ #HarmReduction #Japan #SmokeFree #PublicHealth clearingtheair.eu/post/japan-s...
Japan sees smoking halve as heated tobacco use rises
Japan has seen cigarette use fall sharply over the past decade alongside the rapid growth of heated tobacco products (HTPs) - a shift public health advocates say offers lessons for Taiwan’s…
clearingtheair.eu
January 28, 2026 at 9:57 AM
Japan’s smoking rates have HALVED since 2015. 📉🇯🇵 All thanks to the rapid rise of heated tobacco. While the EU debates inconvenient truths, Japan is actually delivering a smoke-free future. 🚭✨ #HarmReduction #Japan #SmokeFree #PublicHealth clearingtheair.eu/post/japan-s...
🚨 BREAKING: Germany moves to ban menthol & "cooling" vapes, using the "precautionary principle" to bypass a lack of evidence. 📉🇩🇪 clearingtheair.eu/en/post/germ...
Germany Moves to Ban Menthol Vapes in Sweeping Crackdown on “Cooling” Additives - Clearing the Air
Germany is preparing to outlaw menthol and a long list of “cooling” additives used in e-cigarettes, in what could become one of the toughest vape flavour
clearingtheair.eu
January 27, 2026 at 12:30 PM
🚨 BREAKING: Germany moves to ban menthol & "cooling" vapes, using the "precautionary principle" to bypass a lack of evidence. 📉🇩🇪 clearingtheair.eu/en/post/germ...
The EU Health Commissioner claims smoke-free products don’t reduce risk. Experts call it "textbook science denial." 🇪🇺🚫 @OliverVarhelyi 's big lie continues... clearingtheair.eu/en/post/eu-c...
EU commissioner claims smoke-free products do not reduce health risks - Clearing the Air
The European Union’s health commissioner has claimed that smoke-free nicotine products do not reduce health risks compared with cigarettes, contradicting
clearingtheair.eu
January 27, 2026 at 10:30 AM
The EU Health Commissioner claims smoke-free products don’t reduce risk. Experts call it "textbook science denial." 🇪🇺🚫 @OliverVarhelyi 's big lie continues... clearingtheair.eu/en/post/eu-c...
Another vaping scare study just got debunked. 📉🛑 The "link" between vapes and kidney disease was just lazy science. New data confirms the earlier study failed to account for past smoking. Stop #harmsearching 🚬👻 clearingtheair.eu/post/vaping-...
Vaping not linked to chronic kidney disease, rigorous replication study finds
A new replication study found no evidence of an association between current vape use and chronic kidney disease in U.S. adults. Results contrast with an earlier analysis that reported higher kidney…
clearingtheair.eu
January 26, 2026 at 9:39 AM
Another vaping scare study just got debunked. 📉🛑 The "link" between vapes and kidney disease was just lazy science. New data confirms the earlier study failed to account for past smoking. Stop #harmsearching 🚬👻 clearingtheair.eu/post/vaping-...
"Reverse Spin Bias." 🧪🔄 A new study found that in 13 out of 16 medical reviews, vaping was proven effective for quitting smoking, but only 3 researchers actually recommended it. When the data says "Yes" but the scientists say "No". #harmsearching clearingtheair.eu/en/post/stud...
Study flags major bias in medical reviews of vaping and other health interventions
Researchers identified a widespread reporting bias in medical reviews where benefits are found but not acknowledged in recommendations The bias was most visible in reviews of controversial…
clearingtheair.eu
January 23, 2026 at 10:08 AM
"Reverse Spin Bias." 🧪🔄 A new study found that in 13 out of 16 medical reviews, vaping was proven effective for quitting smoking, but only 3 researchers actually recommended it. When the data says "Yes" but the scientists say "No". #harmsearching clearingtheair.eu/en/post/stud...
UK: 14,801 vape kits. 3,562 successful switches in just four weeks. 🌊📊 Public Health Dorset’s data is a masterclass in pragmatism. When you lower the barrier to quitting, smokers take the exit ramp. #SwapToStop #DorsetHealth #HarmReduction clearingtheair.eu/en/post/free...
Free vape schemes drive smoking rates to record lows
Government-backed schemes that help smokers switch to vaping are driving sharp falls in smoking rates across the UK, according to new local authority data. One of the clearest examples comes from…
clearingtheair.eu
January 22, 2026 at 10:41 AM
UK: 14,801 vape kits. 3,562 successful switches in just four weeks. 🌊📊 Public Health Dorset’s data is a masterclass in pragmatism. When you lower the barrier to quitting, smokers take the exit ramp. #SwapToStop #DorsetHealth #HarmReduction clearingtheair.eu/en/post/free...
If you ban flavors and tax e-liquids, smokers don’t just "quit"—they substitute. 🔄⚠️ A new 2026 survey shows 31% of young adults in France would go straight back to cigarettes if these "lazy" restrictions pass. Protecting health means protecting the exit ramp 🛑 clearingtheair.eu/post/one-in-...
One in four vapers say they would return to smoking under proposed French law
A quarter of vapers in France say they would return to smoking if proposed restrictions under Article 23 of the draft 2026 finance bill are enacted, a new survey shows. A new survey by OpinionWay for…
clearingtheair.eu
January 21, 2026 at 1:50 PM
If you ban flavors and tax e-liquids, smokers don’t just "quit"—they substitute. 🔄⚠️ A new 2026 survey shows 31% of young adults in France would go straight back to cigarettes if these "lazy" restrictions pass. Protecting health means protecting the exit ramp 🛑 clearingtheair.eu/post/one-in-...
"Report your neighbor" is the new public health strategy in Singapore. ☎️👁️ And with 15 strokes of the cane and 20 years in jail for selling them, the government has pivoted from a health ban to a full-blown drug war. clearingtheair.eu/en/post/hotl...
Hotline and caning: Singapore steps up vape crackdown
Singapore has escalated its war on vapes, rolling out harsher penalties, expanding enforcement powers and urging the public to report suspected users via a national hotline, as authorities seek to…
clearingtheair.eu
January 20, 2026 at 10:44 AM
"Report your neighbor" is the new public health strategy in Singapore. ☎️👁️ And with 15 strokes of the cane and 20 years in jail for selling them, the government has pivoted from a health ban to a full-blown drug war. clearingtheair.eu/en/post/hotl...
The science is clear: that viral study linking vaping to early strokes has been officially RETRACTED. 🚫🧠 Neurology International pulled the paper over "major errors" in data analysis and impossible sample sizes. clearingtheair.eu/en/post/stud...
Study linking vaping to stroke retracted over “major errors” in analysis
A 2022 paper reporting higher odds and earlier onset of stroke among people who use vapes has been formally retracted. The journal said an investigation identified major data-analysis errors and that…
clearingtheair.eu
January 19, 2026 at 1:44 PM
The science is clear: that viral study linking vaping to early strokes has been officially RETRACTED. 🚫🧠 Neurology International pulled the paper over "major errors" in data analysis and impossible sample sizes. clearingtheair.eu/en/post/stud...
The EU’s tax plan is upside down. 🙃 They want to cut taxes on cigarettes while hitting nicotine pouches with a 50% retail tax. In what world should the product that kills be more affordable than the one that helps you quit? 🌍 🚬 clearingtheair.eu/en/post/excl...
EXCLUSIVE: EU countries discuss lower rates for smokes, vapes and iQOS; pouches rates remain sky high.
See how the EU’s nicotine tax proposals will affect you, and tell your MEP about it, with our interactive tool. Europe’s new taxes on vapes and heated tobacco - scheduled to come in from 2030 - would…
clearingtheair.eu
January 16, 2026 at 11:14 AM
The EU’s tax plan is upside down. 🙃 They want to cut taxes on cigarettes while hitting nicotine pouches with a 50% retail tax. In what world should the product that kills be more affordable than the one that helps you quit? 🌍 🚬 clearingtheair.eu/en/post/excl...
Banning vape flavors to "protect" people? The data says otherwise. 🚫🍓 A new study from Canada shows cigarette sales jumped by nearly 10% (and up to 21% in some areas) after flavour bans. #HarmReduction #PublicHealth #TobaccoControl clearingtheair.eu/en/post/flav...
Flavour bans linked to higher cigarette sales, growing body of evidence shows
New Canadian study finds cigarette sales rose after vape flavour restrictions Research suggests smokers substitute cigarettes when flavoured vapes are removed Similar effects previously observed in…
clearingtheair.eu
January 15, 2026 at 3:13 PM
Banning vape flavors to "protect" people? The data says otherwise. 🚫🍓 A new study from Canada shows cigarette sales jumped by nearly 10% (and up to 21% in some areas) after flavour bans. #HarmReduction #PublicHealth #TobaccoControl clearingtheair.eu/en/post/flav...
The "Quit Like Sweden" debate in Parliament made it clear: you can’t tax and ban your way to a smoke-free country. You need affordable, satisfying alternatives. It’s not rocket science; it’s harm reduction. 🚀 clearingtheair.eu/en/sweden-ta...
Sweden takes its ‘quit smoking’ case to UK Parliament
Sweden’s record on smoking reduction has been put before UK lawmakers. Campaigners and experts urged Parliament to follow evidence showing that harm reduction cuts smoking rates while bans fuel…
clearingtheair.eu
January 14, 2026 at 1:55 PM
The "Quit Like Sweden" debate in Parliament made it clear: you can’t tax and ban your way to a smoke-free country. You need affordable, satisfying alternatives. It’s not rocket science; it’s harm reduction. 🚀 clearingtheair.eu/en/sweden-ta...
The UK is at a crossroads. 🇬🇧 They can either have a "war on nicotine" or a "war on smoking." The government just said pouches are part of the solution. It's time to choose science over harm-searching... 🏁 clearingtheair.eu/en/post/uk-g...
UK government says nicotine pouches safer than smoking
The UK government has formally acknowledged that nicotine pouches are safer than smoking and can play a role in harm reduction for adult smokers. At the same time, ministers warned that high nicotine…
clearingtheair.eu
January 13, 2026 at 2:41 PM
The UK is at a crossroads. 🇬🇧 They can either have a "war on nicotine" or a "war on smoking." The government just said pouches are part of the solution. It's time to choose science over harm-searching... 🏁 clearingtheair.eu/en/post/uk-g...
New global data confirms: ✅ Teen smoking: Falling ✅ Vaping: Stabilizing ✅ Combustion: On the way out. Gateway narrative busted, as usual. clearingtheair.eu/en/post/teen...
Teen nicotine use shifts away from cigarettes as smoking continues to fall, global study finds
A WHO-backed analysis found teenagers were more likely to use non-combustible nicotine products than cigarettes in 31 of 57 countries studied Public health authorities say vaping is substantially…
clearingtheair.eu
January 12, 2026 at 10:22 AM
New global data confirms: ✅ Teen smoking: Falling ✅ Vaping: Stabilizing ✅ Combustion: On the way out. Gateway narrative busted, as usual. clearingtheair.eu/en/post/teen...
Testing "passive vaping" in a tiny, sealed 2m³ box isn't science, it’s a setup. By ignoring real-world ventilation and human lung retention, this study creates a "worst-case scenario" that doesn't exist in reality. #harmsearching clearingtheair.eu/post/lab-stu... #harmsearching
Lab study’s passive vaping claims don’t match real-world exposure, say experts
Experts say a lab study on “passive vaping” does not reflect what bystanders actually breathe in real life. The experiment used a machine to pump vape aerosol into a tiny sealed chamber, which…
clearingtheair.eu
January 9, 2026 at 10:35 AM
Testing "passive vaping" in a tiny, sealed 2m³ box isn't science, it’s a setup. By ignoring real-world ventilation and human lung retention, this study creates a "worst-case scenario" that doesn't exist in reality. #harmsearching clearingtheair.eu/post/lab-stu... #harmsearching
Disposable vapes banned in Belgium. Underground market booming: 140,000 devices seized in 2025 alone. clearingtheair.eu/post/belgium...
Belgium seizes 140,000 illegal disposable vapes after sales ban
Belgium has seized more than 140,000 disposable vapes since the start of 2025, following the introduction of a nationwide ban on their sale that took effect on January 1. Belgium’s Federal Public…
clearingtheair.eu
January 8, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Disposable vapes banned in Belgium. Underground market booming: 140,000 devices seized in 2025 alone. clearingtheair.eu/post/belgium...
Spain plans to regulate vaping exactly like smoking from 2026. Same bans. Same rules. Zero risk distinction. As usual, smokers suffer. clearingtheair.eu/post/vaping-...
Vaping to be regulated like smoking as Spain tightens health laws in 2026
Vaping in Spain is set to face its toughest regulatory reset to date, with proposed legislation that would place vapes under the same legal framework as combustible tobacco. The changes form part of…
clearingtheair.eu
January 7, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Spain plans to regulate vaping exactly like smoking from 2026. Same bans. Same rules. Zero risk distinction. As usual, smokers suffer. clearingtheair.eu/post/vaping-...