Vaping Unplugged Podcast

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, Liza Katsiashvili, Director of Operations at the World Vapers’ Alliance, sits down with Tim Andrews, Director of Consumer Issues at the Tholos Foundation. The conversation explores the World Health Organization’s approach to nicotine, from its push for higher health taxes to the real-world fallout of prohibitionist policies. Tim shares his critique of a recent WHO webinar on health taxes and explains why Australia, where 80% of the tobacco market is now illegal, has become a warning sign of illicit trade wars and violent crime. He contrasts this with Sweden, Japan and the UK, where reduced-risk products like e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco have driven cigarette sales down. From failed tax policy to evidence-based harm reduction, this episode takes a closer look at why a legal, regulated market for safer nicotine alternatives can save lives and shut down the black market. 🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on all your favourite audio platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer.

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, Liza Katsiashvili, Director of Operations at the World Vapers' Alliance, sits down with Petr Horáček, Chairman and Founder of Generation Without Smoke. The conversation explores the current landscape of nicotine alternatives in the Czech Republic — from regulation and policy to consumer access and public health impact. Petr shares insights from the ground, discussing what's working, what's at stake, and how organizations like Generation Without Smoke are pushing for smarter, evidence-based approaches to tobacco harm reduction. From national policy to everyday consumers, this episode takes a closer look at how the Czech Republic is navigating the future of nicotine. 🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on all your favourite audio platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer.

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, Liza Katsiashvili, Director of Operations at the World Vapers' Alliance, sits down with Shrey Madaan, India Associate at the Consumer Choice Center. The conversation looks at India's restrictive approach to tobacco harm reduction, from the 2019 vaping ban to the new regulatory challenges around nicotine pouches. Shrey explains how the ban failed to end vaping in India. Instead, it pushed vaping into an unregulated black market, leaving users without access to regulated, safer alternatives to cigarettes. He also discusses how India's policy fails to tell apart the harms of combustible tobacco and those of non-combustible alternatives, and how close adherence to WHO guidelines has shaped this prohibitionist stance. From the black market to policy design, this episode takes a closer look at what India's approach means for adults trying to quit smoking. 🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on all your favourite audio platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer.

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, Liza Katsiashvili, Director of Operations at the World Vapers' Alliance, sits down with Kurt Yeo, founder of Vaping Saved My Life and the newly launched THR Global. The conversation explores the creation of THR Global, a new platform built to support and unite the tobacco harm reduction community worldwide. Kurt shares the story behind the project, what gap it aims to fill, and how it connects advocates, consumers, and organizations working toward a smoke-free future. From the origins of Vaping Saved My Life to the vision driving THR Global, this episode takes a closer look at what community-led harm reduction looks like in practice, and what comes next. 🔗 Learn more about THR Global: https://thrglobal.org/pt📲 Follow Kurt on X: https://x.com/Kurt_Yeo📲 Follow THR Global on X: https://x.com/THR_Global📸 Follow Vaping Saved My Life on Instagram: http://instagram.com/vsml.sa

🇩🇪 This episode is in German.In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, sits down with Professor Bernd Mayer (PhD) to discuss the growing debate around a potential flavour ban in Germany. Mayer is a Professor and Chair Member of the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology in the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Graz, in Austria. The conversation explores what such a ban could mean for consumers, public health, and smoking cessation efforts. Professor Mayer brings his scientific perspective to the table, breaking down the role flavours play in helping smokers switch, and what the evidence actually says. From policy discussions to real-world consequences, this episode takes a closer look at how Germany is approaching vaping regulation, and what could come next.

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, Lisa from the World Vapers’ Alliance is joined by Elizabeth Hayes, Head of External Affairs at the Consumer Choice Center (CCC), and Sabine Benoit, CCC’s Canadian Policy Associate. Together, they break down the rapidly shifting landscape of nicotine policy across North America — from the USA and Canada to Mexico. Liz explains how U.S. lawmakers are increasingly targeting not only vaping products, but also nicotine pouches, with flavor bans, tax hikes, and new regulatory hurdles. The conversation explores recent developments in the PMTA process, including the first FDA authorizations for nicotine pouches — and what that could mean for the future of harm reduction in America. Sabine shares the Canadian perspective, where federal and provincial rules have made access to safer alternatives increasingly restrictive. From pharmacy-only pouch access to widespread flavor bans, Canada’s framework treats vaping much like cigarettes — despite growing evidence that many smokers are successfully quitting with e-cigarettes. The episode also looks at Mexico’s recent constitutional amendment banning vapes while combustible cigarettes remain legal — raising serious questions about public health priorities and unintended consequences, including illicit trade and economic impact. Despite the challenges, there are reasons for cautious optimism. New Canadian data shows that a significant share of smokers who quit in 2024 used vaping to do so. And internationally, Sweden’s success offers a powerful example of what evidence-based policy can achieve. This episode dives into the tension between prohibition and harm reduction — and why consumer choice continues to drive change, even when governments resist.

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, we sit down with Peter Beckett from Clearing the Air to unpack a troubling claim shaking EU policymaking: that thousands of consumer responses to an EU consultation on taxing nicotine products are supposedly “fake.” An obscure NGO called Impact Unfiltered alleged that more than 18,000 consumer submissions were little more than tobacco industry manipulation — a claim the European Commission is reportedly taking seriously. But is there any evidence to back it up? Peter walks us through Clearing the Air’s investigation into these accusations, explaining why the claims don’t hold up, how GDPR protections were misrepresented as “anonymity,” and why equating shared language with industry coordination is a fundamental analytical failure. The conversation also digs into who Impact Unfiltered actually is, where the narrative originated, and why this matters far beyond a single consultation — especially with major EU tobacco and nicotine policy decisions looming, including tax reform, the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive, and a likely political showdown in the coming years. At stake is a basic democratic question: do consumer voices still count in EU policymaking — or can they be dismissed as “fake” when they become inconvenient? 🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on all your favourite audio platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer.

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, sits down with Barnaby Page from E-Cig Intelligence — a former reporter who now provides deep analysis on global harm reduction and nicotine policy. Together, they unpack the findings of the fourth edition of E-Cig Intelligence’s ongoing survey of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), revealing how lawmakers across the EU perceive vaping, safer nicotine alternatives, and future regulation. They also take a closer look at COP11 — what happened behind the scenes, what it means for consumers, and how global conversations are shaping the European policy landscape. From shifting political attitudes to international debates, this episode offers a clear and honest look at where nicotine policy is heading next. 🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on all your favourite platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer. 📲 Stay connected with the World Vapers’ Alliance: Twitter: x.com/vapers_alliance Instagram: instagram.com/vapers_alliance TikTok: tiktok.com/vapers_alliance Facebook: fb.com/wvalliance

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, our host Liza Katsiashvili, Director of Operations at the WVA, sits down with Timothy Andrews, Director of Consumer Issues at the Tholos Foundation and a leading partner of the initiative Prohibition Does Not Work. Together, they dive into the global trend of prohibition on safer nicotine products and unpack why these bans fail to reduce smoking rates. Instead, prohibition fuels illicit markets, undermines public health, and leaves consumers with fewer — and more dangerous — options. From country case studies to the bigger picture for harm reduction, Timothy and Liza explore how smarter, consumer-driven policies can save lives. 📲 Stay connected with the World Vapers’ Alliance: Twitter: x.com/vapers_alliance Instagram: instagram.com/vapers_alliance TikTok: tiktok.com/vapers_alliance Facebook: fb.com/wvalliance

In this episode of Vaping Unplugged, our host and Director Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, sits down with Frederik Roeder, Managing Director of the Consumer Choice Center, to discuss the grim reality of vaping in Turkmenistan. Vaping, or the use of e-cigarettes, is banned in Turkmenistan due to a comprehensive anti-tobacco law that prohibits their sale, import, distribution, and use. While not officially published, this informal ban led to the disappearance of vape products from shelves in 2023, and attempting to bring them into the country can result in confiscation and potential fines or jail time. While smokers in the country face limited options and vapers face outright hostility, the World Health Organization only adds fuel to the fire by pushing prohibitionist narratives instead of supporting harm reduction. Michael and Fred unpack what this means for consumers, why the WHO continues to block life-saving alternatives, and what can be done to challenge this global double standard. 📢 Share your thoughts in the comments and join the fight for smarter regulation. 📲 Stay connected with the World Vapers’ Alliance in social media: Twitter: x.com/vapers_alliance Instagram: instagram.com/vapers_alliance TikTok: tiktok.com/vapers_allianceFacebook: fb.com/wvalliance