EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> More Evidence of Link Between Smoking and Infertility 08/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan The risk of infertility is 1.4 times higher in women who smoke, according to a systematic review of studies conducted between 2000 and 2026, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report released on Tuesday. “This means that if the risk of infertility is 15% for women who do not smoke, then 21% will experience […] Continue reading -> Germany Plans More Cuts to Global Health Funding, But Policymakers Push Back on 2027 Draft Budget 26/08/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Under Germany’s tightly constrained draft budget proposal for 2027, the government is set to reduce global health funding substantially. While mandatory assessed contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) will rise slightly, flexible budgets for pandemic preparedness are planned to be cut by 15.3%. As part of a broader budget overhaul, the German government is […] Continue reading -> WHO: Up to 45% Dementia Risk Can Be Prevented or Delayed 16/07/2026 Kerry Cullinan Up to 45% of the risk of dementia can be prevented or delayed by addressing tobacco and alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including high blood pressure and diabetes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The global health body released updated guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive […] Continue reading -> Digital Regulation for Youth Health: Joint Statement by WHO and France Demands Urgent Action 05/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen A lack of youth online safety is a global public health crisis that demands systemic platform regulation to protect children from harm, according to a joint declaration by the French government and the World Health Organization (WHO). They demand urgent digital governance to mandate safe platform redesigns, as nations struggle to enforce easily bypassed social […] Continue reading -> Palau banned e-cigarettes. Now we’re asking the harder question 22/06/2026 Valerie R Whipps The island country in the western Pacific Ocean has initiated a World Health Organization (WHO) review of nicotine in terms of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Psychotropic Substances In 2023, I stood in a room among other Palauan mothers, school principals, teachers, and students who had come to witness the signing of Palau’s comprehensive […] Continue reading -> European Parliament Deadlock On Higher Tobacco and Nicotine Taxes Leaves Decision to Divided European Council 19/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The European Parliament on Wednesday defeated a proposal to freeze cigarette excise taxes at a 60% rate of retail value – throwing a final decision on tobacco and nicotine policies into the court of the European Council of Ministers. But the politically divided EU Council is unlikely to raises taxes anywhere near the bar set […] Continue reading -> Big Tobacco Engineered Ultra-Processed Food, Creating Harmful and Addictive Products 03/06/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tobacco companies have helped to engineer ultra-processed food (UPF) and scale up the industry, developing and distributing addictive products that are driving obesity, cancer, dementia and chronic diseases like diabetes. This is according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the drivers and impact of UFP, published in the American Journal of Public Health […] Continue reading -> Historic WHA Resolution on Fatty Liver Disease Opens Door for Integration into National NCD Strategies 29/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was recognized as a “missing piece” of the global noncommunicable disease response in a milestone World Health Assembly resolution last week. With countries making extraordinary progress in combating viral hepatitis, SLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease, is now the fastest-growing chronic liver disease – but far less recognized. Experts and […] Continue reading -> Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
More Evidence of Link Between Smoking and Infertility 08/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan The risk of infertility is 1.4 times higher in women who smoke, according to a systematic review of studies conducted between 2000 and 2026, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report released on Tuesday. “This means that if the risk of infertility is 15% for women who do not smoke, then 21% will experience […] Continue reading -> Germany Plans More Cuts to Global Health Funding, But Policymakers Push Back on 2027 Draft Budget 26/08/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Under Germany’s tightly constrained draft budget proposal for 2027, the government is set to reduce global health funding substantially. While mandatory assessed contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) will rise slightly, flexible budgets for pandemic preparedness are planned to be cut by 15.3%. As part of a broader budget overhaul, the German government is […] Continue reading -> WHO: Up to 45% Dementia Risk Can Be Prevented or Delayed 16/07/2026 Kerry Cullinan Up to 45% of the risk of dementia can be prevented or delayed by addressing tobacco and alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including high blood pressure and diabetes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The global health body released updated guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive […] Continue reading -> Digital Regulation for Youth Health: Joint Statement by WHO and France Demands Urgent Action 05/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen A lack of youth online safety is a global public health crisis that demands systemic platform regulation to protect children from harm, according to a joint declaration by the French government and the World Health Organization (WHO). They demand urgent digital governance to mandate safe platform redesigns, as nations struggle to enforce easily bypassed social […] Continue reading -> Palau banned e-cigarettes. Now we’re asking the harder question 22/06/2026 Valerie R Whipps The island country in the western Pacific Ocean has initiated a World Health Organization (WHO) review of nicotine in terms of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Psychotropic Substances In 2023, I stood in a room among other Palauan mothers, school principals, teachers, and students who had come to witness the signing of Palau’s comprehensive […] Continue reading -> European Parliament Deadlock On Higher Tobacco and Nicotine Taxes Leaves Decision to Divided European Council 19/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The European Parliament on Wednesday defeated a proposal to freeze cigarette excise taxes at a 60% rate of retail value – throwing a final decision on tobacco and nicotine policies into the court of the European Council of Ministers. But the politically divided EU Council is unlikely to raises taxes anywhere near the bar set […] Continue reading -> Big Tobacco Engineered Ultra-Processed Food, Creating Harmful and Addictive Products 03/06/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tobacco companies have helped to engineer ultra-processed food (UPF) and scale up the industry, developing and distributing addictive products that are driving obesity, cancer, dementia and chronic diseases like diabetes. This is according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the drivers and impact of UFP, published in the American Journal of Public Health […] Continue reading -> Historic WHA Resolution on Fatty Liver Disease Opens Door for Integration into National NCD Strategies 29/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was recognized as a “missing piece” of the global noncommunicable disease response in a milestone World Health Assembly resolution last week. With countries making extraordinary progress in combating viral hepatitis, SLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease, is now the fastest-growing chronic liver disease – but far less recognized. Experts and […] Continue reading -> Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Germany Plans More Cuts to Global Health Funding, But Policymakers Push Back on 2027 Draft Budget 26/08/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Under Germany’s tightly constrained draft budget proposal for 2027, the government is set to reduce global health funding substantially. While mandatory assessed contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) will rise slightly, flexible budgets for pandemic preparedness are planned to be cut by 15.3%. As part of a broader budget overhaul, the German government is […] Continue reading -> WHO: Up to 45% Dementia Risk Can Be Prevented or Delayed 16/07/2026 Kerry Cullinan Up to 45% of the risk of dementia can be prevented or delayed by addressing tobacco and alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including high blood pressure and diabetes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The global health body released updated guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive […] Continue reading -> Digital Regulation for Youth Health: Joint Statement by WHO and France Demands Urgent Action 05/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen A lack of youth online safety is a global public health crisis that demands systemic platform regulation to protect children from harm, according to a joint declaration by the French government and the World Health Organization (WHO). They demand urgent digital governance to mandate safe platform redesigns, as nations struggle to enforce easily bypassed social […] Continue reading -> Palau banned e-cigarettes. Now we’re asking the harder question 22/06/2026 Valerie R Whipps The island country in the western Pacific Ocean has initiated a World Health Organization (WHO) review of nicotine in terms of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Psychotropic Substances In 2023, I stood in a room among other Palauan mothers, school principals, teachers, and students who had come to witness the signing of Palau’s comprehensive […] Continue reading -> European Parliament Deadlock On Higher Tobacco and Nicotine Taxes Leaves Decision to Divided European Council 19/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The European Parliament on Wednesday defeated a proposal to freeze cigarette excise taxes at a 60% rate of retail value – throwing a final decision on tobacco and nicotine policies into the court of the European Council of Ministers. But the politically divided EU Council is unlikely to raises taxes anywhere near the bar set […] Continue reading -> Big Tobacco Engineered Ultra-Processed Food, Creating Harmful and Addictive Products 03/06/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tobacco companies have helped to engineer ultra-processed food (UPF) and scale up the industry, developing and distributing addictive products that are driving obesity, cancer, dementia and chronic diseases like diabetes. This is according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the drivers and impact of UFP, published in the American Journal of Public Health […] Continue reading -> Historic WHA Resolution on Fatty Liver Disease Opens Door for Integration into National NCD Strategies 29/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was recognized as a “missing piece” of the global noncommunicable disease response in a milestone World Health Assembly resolution last week. With countries making extraordinary progress in combating viral hepatitis, SLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease, is now the fastest-growing chronic liver disease – but far less recognized. Experts and […] Continue reading -> Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
WHO: Up to 45% Dementia Risk Can Be Prevented or Delayed 16/07/2026 Kerry Cullinan Up to 45% of the risk of dementia can be prevented or delayed by addressing tobacco and alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including high blood pressure and diabetes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The global health body released updated guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive […] Continue reading -> Digital Regulation for Youth Health: Joint Statement by WHO and France Demands Urgent Action 05/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen A lack of youth online safety is a global public health crisis that demands systemic platform regulation to protect children from harm, according to a joint declaration by the French government and the World Health Organization (WHO). They demand urgent digital governance to mandate safe platform redesigns, as nations struggle to enforce easily bypassed social […] Continue reading -> Palau banned e-cigarettes. Now we’re asking the harder question 22/06/2026 Valerie R Whipps The island country in the western Pacific Ocean has initiated a World Health Organization (WHO) review of nicotine in terms of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Psychotropic Substances In 2023, I stood in a room among other Palauan mothers, school principals, teachers, and students who had come to witness the signing of Palau’s comprehensive […] Continue reading -> European Parliament Deadlock On Higher Tobacco and Nicotine Taxes Leaves Decision to Divided European Council 19/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The European Parliament on Wednesday defeated a proposal to freeze cigarette excise taxes at a 60% rate of retail value – throwing a final decision on tobacco and nicotine policies into the court of the European Council of Ministers. But the politically divided EU Council is unlikely to raises taxes anywhere near the bar set […] Continue reading -> Big Tobacco Engineered Ultra-Processed Food, Creating Harmful and Addictive Products 03/06/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tobacco companies have helped to engineer ultra-processed food (UPF) and scale up the industry, developing and distributing addictive products that are driving obesity, cancer, dementia and chronic diseases like diabetes. This is according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the drivers and impact of UFP, published in the American Journal of Public Health […] Continue reading -> Historic WHA Resolution on Fatty Liver Disease Opens Door for Integration into National NCD Strategies 29/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was recognized as a “missing piece” of the global noncommunicable disease response in a milestone World Health Assembly resolution last week. With countries making extraordinary progress in combating viral hepatitis, SLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease, is now the fastest-growing chronic liver disease – but far less recognized. Experts and […] Continue reading -> Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Digital Regulation for Youth Health: Joint Statement by WHO and France Demands Urgent Action 05/07/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen A lack of youth online safety is a global public health crisis that demands systemic platform regulation to protect children from harm, according to a joint declaration by the French government and the World Health Organization (WHO). They demand urgent digital governance to mandate safe platform redesigns, as nations struggle to enforce easily bypassed social […] Continue reading -> Palau banned e-cigarettes. Now we’re asking the harder question 22/06/2026 Valerie R Whipps The island country in the western Pacific Ocean has initiated a World Health Organization (WHO) review of nicotine in terms of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Psychotropic Substances In 2023, I stood in a room among other Palauan mothers, school principals, teachers, and students who had come to witness the signing of Palau’s comprehensive […] Continue reading -> European Parliament Deadlock On Higher Tobacco and Nicotine Taxes Leaves Decision to Divided European Council 19/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The European Parliament on Wednesday defeated a proposal to freeze cigarette excise taxes at a 60% rate of retail value – throwing a final decision on tobacco and nicotine policies into the court of the European Council of Ministers. But the politically divided EU Council is unlikely to raises taxes anywhere near the bar set […] Continue reading -> Big Tobacco Engineered Ultra-Processed Food, Creating Harmful and Addictive Products 03/06/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tobacco companies have helped to engineer ultra-processed food (UPF) and scale up the industry, developing and distributing addictive products that are driving obesity, cancer, dementia and chronic diseases like diabetes. This is according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the drivers and impact of UFP, published in the American Journal of Public Health […] Continue reading -> Historic WHA Resolution on Fatty Liver Disease Opens Door for Integration into National NCD Strategies 29/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was recognized as a “missing piece” of the global noncommunicable disease response in a milestone World Health Assembly resolution last week. With countries making extraordinary progress in combating viral hepatitis, SLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease, is now the fastest-growing chronic liver disease – but far less recognized. Experts and […] Continue reading -> Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Palau banned e-cigarettes. Now we’re asking the harder question 22/06/2026 Valerie R Whipps The island country in the western Pacific Ocean has initiated a World Health Organization (WHO) review of nicotine in terms of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Psychotropic Substances In 2023, I stood in a room among other Palauan mothers, school principals, teachers, and students who had come to witness the signing of Palau’s comprehensive […] Continue reading -> European Parliament Deadlock On Higher Tobacco and Nicotine Taxes Leaves Decision to Divided European Council 19/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The European Parliament on Wednesday defeated a proposal to freeze cigarette excise taxes at a 60% rate of retail value – throwing a final decision on tobacco and nicotine policies into the court of the European Council of Ministers. But the politically divided EU Council is unlikely to raises taxes anywhere near the bar set […] Continue reading -> Big Tobacco Engineered Ultra-Processed Food, Creating Harmful and Addictive Products 03/06/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tobacco companies have helped to engineer ultra-processed food (UPF) and scale up the industry, developing and distributing addictive products that are driving obesity, cancer, dementia and chronic diseases like diabetes. This is according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the drivers and impact of UFP, published in the American Journal of Public Health […] Continue reading -> Historic WHA Resolution on Fatty Liver Disease Opens Door for Integration into National NCD Strategies 29/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was recognized as a “missing piece” of the global noncommunicable disease response in a milestone World Health Assembly resolution last week. With countries making extraordinary progress in combating viral hepatitis, SLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease, is now the fastest-growing chronic liver disease – but far less recognized. Experts and […] Continue reading -> Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
European Parliament Deadlock On Higher Tobacco and Nicotine Taxes Leaves Decision to Divided European Council 19/06/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The European Parliament on Wednesday defeated a proposal to freeze cigarette excise taxes at a 60% rate of retail value – throwing a final decision on tobacco and nicotine policies into the court of the European Council of Ministers. But the politically divided EU Council is unlikely to raises taxes anywhere near the bar set […] Continue reading -> Big Tobacco Engineered Ultra-Processed Food, Creating Harmful and Addictive Products 03/06/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tobacco companies have helped to engineer ultra-processed food (UPF) and scale up the industry, developing and distributing addictive products that are driving obesity, cancer, dementia and chronic diseases like diabetes. This is according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the drivers and impact of UFP, published in the American Journal of Public Health […] Continue reading -> Historic WHA Resolution on Fatty Liver Disease Opens Door for Integration into National NCD Strategies 29/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was recognized as a “missing piece” of the global noncommunicable disease response in a milestone World Health Assembly resolution last week. With countries making extraordinary progress in combating viral hepatitis, SLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease, is now the fastest-growing chronic liver disease – but far less recognized. Experts and […] Continue reading -> Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Big Tobacco Engineered Ultra-Processed Food, Creating Harmful and Addictive Products 03/06/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tobacco companies have helped to engineer ultra-processed food (UPF) and scale up the industry, developing and distributing addictive products that are driving obesity, cancer, dementia and chronic diseases like diabetes. This is according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the drivers and impact of UFP, published in the American Journal of Public Health […] Continue reading -> Historic WHA Resolution on Fatty Liver Disease Opens Door for Integration into National NCD Strategies 29/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was recognized as a “missing piece” of the global noncommunicable disease response in a milestone World Health Assembly resolution last week. With countries making extraordinary progress in combating viral hepatitis, SLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease, is now the fastest-growing chronic liver disease – but far less recognized. Experts and […] Continue reading -> Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Historic WHA Resolution on Fatty Liver Disease Opens Door for Integration into National NCD Strategies 29/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was recognized as a “missing piece” of the global noncommunicable disease response in a milestone World Health Assembly resolution last week. With countries making extraordinary progress in combating viral hepatitis, SLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease, is now the fastest-growing chronic liver disease – but far less recognized. Experts and […] Continue reading -> Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Nicotine Pouches: WHO Demands Strict Regulation to Prevent Looming Youth Epidemic 15/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts