Nicotine News and Research

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Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (''Solanaceae'') which constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of dry weight of tobacco, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots, and accumulating in the leaves.

New guidelines urge opt-out tobacco treatment during hospital stays

For people who smoke cigarettes, a hospital stay may be an opportunity to quit. New clinical guidelines developed with experts from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center call on hospitals to make tobacco treatment a routine part of care.

5 Nov 2026

Children exposed to cannabis and tobacco before birth scored lower on thinking tests

In an exploratory analysis of 8,706 U.S. children aged 9 to 11, prenatal exposure to both cannabis and tobacco was associated with modestly lower fluid cognition scores compared with cannabis-only exposure or neither substance. Differences from tobacco-only exposure were not statistically significant, nor were differences in crystallized cognition, and the observational findings could not establish causation.

4 Nov 2026

Rutgers-led team secures $6.5 million grant for lung cancer research

A Rutgers-led consortium has been awarded a $6.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to support next-generation tools to guide tobacco control policies, improve lung cancer screening, strengthen survivorship care, and support state-level cancer prevention planning.

3 Nov 2026

Health warnings on vapes changed people's choices, but there was a catch

In a Canadian discrete choice experiment involving 2,961 e-cigarette users and nonusers, researchers examined how health warnings, nicotine strength, plain packaging, and prices influenced preferences for vaping products, heated tobacco, and cigarettes. Warnings on all three product categories increased the predicted probability of choosing none from 50% to 65% among nonusers and from 10% to 18% among users, while lower nicotine strength made vape pods more appealing and price increases produced smaller, mixed effects.

1 Nov 2026

Cedars-Sinai initiative helps LGBTQ+ communities overcome barriers to quitting tobacco

Quitting tobacco can be difficult, especially when people face barriers to healthcare or lack support that reflects their experiences.

28 Oct 2026

Nicotine pouches gain rapid popularity among adult tobacco users

A national survey study conducted by the University of Cincinnati found that nicotine pouch use increased sharply in the United States between 2021 and 2024 among adult tobacco users.

28 Oct 2026

Heated tobacco products cause immediate cardiovascular and genetic damage

Just one session of heated tobacco product use results in measurable damage to the blood vessels, according to a study published today (Tuesday) in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

27 Oct 2026

High-nicotine vape use surged among young adults in the United States

High-nicotine vape use surged by 80% among US 18-24 year olds between 2017 and 2022, and was associated with large increases in daily vaping and nicotine dependence, finds a data analysis published online in the journal Tobacco Control.

21 Oct 2026

Young adults increasingly use high-nicotine e-cigarettes, study finds

Researchers from University of California San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science have found that high-nicotine e-cigarette use rose sharply among young adults between 2017 and 2022 and was associated with increased nicotine dependence and more persistent vaping.

21 Oct 2026

Daily vaping in the US rises by 230% from 2013-14

More people are likely vaping, and with greater frequency, in the US since 2013-14, suggests a data analysis published online in the journal Tobacco Control.

20 Oct 2026

MUSC study reveals gender shift in adolescent vaping trends

For decades, boys and men were more likely than their female peers to use nicotine. But a new study from MUSC shows that among U.S. adolescents, that pattern has reversed for vaping.

19 Oct 2026

A CDC survey finds 4 in 5 US teenagers fall short of high heart health scores

A CDC study of 5,192 US high school students found that approximately 80% had low or moderate cardiovascular health scores based on five measures assessed in a national survey. Diet, sleep, and physical activity received the least favorable scores, with differences observed across sex, grade, and racial and ethnic groups.

15 Oct 2026

A trial of 3,220 smokers puts cash rewards for quitting to the test

In a randomized trial of 3,220 medically underserved adults referred for lung cancer screening, adding financial incentives to usual care and free medication increased sustained smoking abstinence at six months. Offering free medication alone did not significantly increase quit rates, and adding a forward-looking mobile tool did not improve outcomes beyond the incentives.

11 Oct 2026

Culturally tailored tobacco prevention shows promise for Native youth

Two studies examining commercial tobacco use in Native American communities underscore the importance of culturally responsive prevention and a deeper understanding of how substance use fits into people's everyday lives.

1 Oct 2026

Menthol prolongs nicotine effects in rats exposed to e-cigarettes

Menthol, a common flavoring for both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, may do more than simply change how nicotine tastes or feels.

29 Sep 2026

Smart vapes with financial rewards may raise addiction risks

Vaping products are becoming smarter – and potentially more addictive. Some new devices now reward users with cryptocurrency and other incentives tied to vaping behavior.

28 Sep 2026

Heated tobacco users had more hypertension, but the story is not that simple

A large Japanese real-world cohort study found that current heated tobacco product users had a higher risk of developing hypertension than never-smokers in the primary adjusted analysis. However, the association weakened in several sensitivity analyses, and the observational study could not separate the effects of current heated tobacco use from previous cigarette exposure.

27 Sep 2026

Intuitive eating may be linked to more than a healthier relationship with food

A cross-sectional study of 1,057 U.S. adults examined how intuitive eating relates to stress, sleep, physical activity, substance use, diet, self-rated health, and self-reported cardiometabolic conditions. Higher intuitive eating scores were associated with several favorable health indicators, although the study cannot establish causality or determine the direction of these relationships.

25 Sep 2026

Prenatal cannabis exposure linked to subtle brain and behavioral differences in children

A large ABCD study of 10,838 children found that prenatal cannabis exposure was associated with small differences in resting-state brain connectivity, higher behavioral and emotional problem scores, and lower performance on several cognitive measures in late childhood. PCE-related connectivity patterns partly overlapped with those linked to psychopathology and cognition, although the cross-sectional observational design cannot establish causality or mediation.

22 Sep 2026

Mobile LDCT lung cancer screening can reach vulnerable populations in resource-limited settings

Mobile low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening can reach high-risk and socially vulnerable populations in resource-limited settings, according to initial results from the Third Brazilian Early Lung Cancer Trial (BRELT3) presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC).

15 Sep 2026