The Truth about Nicotine: Implications for the Future of U.S. Tobacco Control

Featuring:

[Moderator] Mazen Saleh, Director of Integrated Harm Reduction, R Street Institute

Matt Holman, Vice President, U.S. Scientific Engagement and Regulatory Strategy, Philip Morris International

Raymond Niaura, Interim Department of Epidemiology Chair, New York University School of Global Public Health

Sally Satel, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

Overview

Nicotine, despite its omnipresence, is perhaps one of the most misunderstood substances. Nicotine is the chemical that makes tobacco products addictive; however, it is not responsible for the deadly effects associated with the use of combustible cigarettes. Although tobacco and nicotine are often consumed simultaneously, they are not synonymous. Alternative nicotine delivery systems have divorced nicotine from the tobacco leaf, making the distinction between the two important to understand.

This panel will explain how nicotine affects the body, describe the nuances of the relationship between tobacco and nicotine, clarify current misperceptions, and explore the regulatory and policy landscape of tobacco control in the context of an evolving market of new tobacco and nicotine products.