'What Americans really need is access to safer products'

A person vapes at a smoke shop in New York City

(Image credit: Michael Nagle / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

published 14 February 2025

'Is vaping really as bad as smoking?'

Maia Szalavitz at The New York Times

"Slashing nicotine levels in cigarettes could save millions of lives," but it "creates a conundrum for regulators," says Maia Szalavitz. They "fear that the very products that help smokers quit — such as vapes or oral nicotine pouches — also attract young people." This means "aggressively communicating to the public that what kills smokers is primarily smoking itself, not nicotine." If "vaping continues to displace smoking rather than fuel it, that trade-off could ultimately be a public health win."

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Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.