Organization

R Street Institute

Coverage areas

2026-07-23
R Street Institute’s Jeffrey Smith Says Tobacco Harm Reduction Policy Should Focus on Science, Not Perception
with Jeffrey Smith
In the latest episode of the Health Policy Podcast, Jeffrey Smith, a Senior Fellow at the R Street Institute, discusses the importance of focusing tobacco harm reduction policy on scientific evidence rather than public perception. Smith emphasizes the differences in risk between combustible tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery systems, advocating for a marketplace that offers various reduced-risk options to help smokers transition away from traditional cigarettes. He also addresses the challenges of regulatory approaches and the need for informed decision-making among policymakers.

“I think that's really slowing the process down.”
“The research is pretty clear that it can help you improve cognitive performance, especially in the frontal cortex of the brain.”
“The toxicological risk of a cigarette to the toxicological risk of an ENDS product, they're just two very different products.”
“The science just doesn't support that at all.”
“If we get it right, then there's a good chance that other countries will get it right as well.”
“The key is, how do we build products that allow adults to move away from cigarettes?”