New Nicotine Alliance celebrates 10 years of tobacco harm reduction advocacy
February 17, 2025
The New Nicotine Alliance (NNA), a pioneering educational charity dedicated to tobacco harm reduction, last week marked its 10th anniversary.
Over the past decade, the NNA has emerged as a respected and influential advocate for safer nicotine products, championing the rights of consumers and promoting public health policies that save lives.
The NNA’s origins trace back to a pivotal moment in 2013, when its founders, alongside European consumers and a handful of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), successfully opposed the European Union’s Tobacco Products Directive. The directive sought to regulate e-cigarettes as medicinal products, a move that would have stifled the nascent vaping industry and denied millions of smokers access to a potentially life-saving alternative.
This victory not only safeguarded the future of vaping but also led to the formal establishment of the NNA as a consumer association, only the second of its kind globally.
Since then, the NNA has been at the forefront of the tobacco harm reduction movement, both in the UK and internationally. The charity has tirelessly worked to educate policymakers, the public, and the media about the benefits of reduced-risk nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes, in helping smokers quit traditional tobacco.
In 2019, the NNA became a founding member of the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA), a coalition now representing over 27 million consumers across 17 European countries.
Despite operating on a shoestring budget, the NNA has consistently punched above its weight, earning respect for its evidence-based advocacy and unwavering commitment to consumer rights. The charity’s impact is evident in the numerous Freedom of Information Requests filed to access its correspondence with government departments.
“As we move past our first decade, we will continue to advocate for the wide availability of low risk products as a choice that consumers should be able to make for the good of public health,” the organisation said in a statement.
“We know that this is the right path, as do the many millions who have benefitted from safer nicotine products, and that our actions are correct.”
To sustain its vital work, the NNA is calling on supporters to contribute to its cause. As a volunteer-led organisation with limited resources, the charity relies on donations to cover administrative costs and fund its advocacy efforts. Supporters are encouraged to donate via the NNA’s GoFundMe page or consider joining the organisation to help shape its next decade of impact.
