On ‘World No Tobacco Day,' Nicokick and Northerner Call for Enforcing Existing Regulations, Not Prohibition: 'Let's Talk About Choice'
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As the global health community marks World No Tobacco Day on May 31, Nicokick.com and Northerner.com, two of the leading online retailers for nicotine pouches in the U.S, are urging public health leaders and policymakers to shift the narrative from prohibition to responsible choice. In response to this year's campaign theme by the World Health Organization (WHO) — 'Dark Intentions: Unmasking the Appeal of Nicotine Products' —Markus Lindblad, Head of External Affairs at Nicokick.com and Northerner.com, offers a bold call to action: Elevate individual responsibility, transparency, and education about the role of alternative nicotine products in reducing smoking-related deaths.
Lindblad points to false narratives and inconsistent public health messaging as major roadblocks to reducing smoking-related deaths. More than 480,000 Americans die annually from smoking-related illness. The truth is that flavored alternatives have proven to be a strong contributor to helping millions of smokers ditch deadly combustible tobacco.
'Switching to nicotine pouches is not a fringe choice, it's a potentially lifesaving one,' said Lindblad. 'Consumers deserve access to the truth, not more fear-based messaging.' While flavored nicotine products are routinely criticized for appealing to youth, flavored alcoholic beverages are widely promoted and culturally glamorized, even as alcohol-related cancer deaths in the US are on the rise and the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning on alcohol and cancer earlier this year.
'If flavors deserve scrutiny, that logic should apply to all industries, not just nicotine,' Lindblad said. 'To claim that all flavored products are marketing trickery that entices youth ignores key facts about adult consumer psychology. As responsible retailers, we know that compliant brands follow the very strict guidelines given by regulators, and that the real threats to the industry are illicit vendors and products flooding the market. It begs repeating: Flavors weren't made for kids—they were made for adults seeking an alternative to smoking. The real issue? Youth access. The solution? Enforcement.'
Global Lessons: Sweden's Success vs. Australia's Prohibition
Lindblad, who is based in Sweden where the company is headquartered, highlights the country's historic achievement in reaching 'smoke-free' status in 2024—defined as having an under 5% smoking prevalence—as a model of effective harm reduction. By contrast, countries with stricter nicotine bans, such as Australia and Norway, are seeing the rise of illicit markets and youth use of unregulated products.
'When regulators rely solely on bans, people adapt in sometimes riskier ways,' said Lindblad. 'Sweden's success came from consumer empowerment and access to modern oral alternatives, not punishment.'
A Call for Evidence-Based Communications and Policy
Northerner and Nicokick advocate for science-led regulation that protects youth and informs adults. The companies call for increased enforcement of existing regulations and better accountability from social platforms and content creators.
'We're not hiding behind marketing,' said Lindblad. 'Our so-called hidden agenda is compliance and consumer education. Let's stop vilifying alternatives and start enforcing the laws that already work.'
WHO Has It Wrong: States Must Lead
WHO's 2025 campaign is focused on the wrong enemy while their rhetoric continues to drive fear and erode years of research. Instead of condemning flavors, they should be calling for smarter and tighter regulations that keep products out of underage hands, not banning tools that help adults take steps towards a smoke-free lifestyle and improved well-being.
Public health isn't advanced by moral panic. It's advanced by policy that works.
About Nicokick
Nicokick is a leading online retailer in the U.S. specializing in nicotine pouches. With a diverse inventory of over 200 unique products, the platform offers a wide selection of popular and emerging brands that provide consumers with modern oral smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes and other traditional tobacco products. As a responsible and compliant retailer, Nicokick is committed to a strict age verification process, with all products delivered directly to adult consumers' doorsteps or mailboxes. For more information, visit Nicokick.com.
About Northerner
Established in 1998, Northerner has grown to become one of the largest global online retailers of nicotine pouches. Northerner's US platform has an inventory of over 200 tobacco leaf-free nicotine products that help adult consumers transition from cigarettes. With a strong commitment to youth access prevention, Northerner's products are securely delivered to adult consumers' doorsteps or mailboxes, ensuring compliance with a rigorous age verification process. For more information, visit Northerner.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Only Two Republicans Were Brave Enough to Vote Against Medicaid Cuts
House Republicans passed Trump's 'big, beautiful' spending bill by just one vote early Thursday morning. After hours of deliberation, the bill passed 215–214, an incredibly slim margin that highlights the lack of political cohesion within the GOP. Two Republican representatives—Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio—voted with the Democrats. The bill will include even more funding for the military and more funding for Trump's border crackdown, while slashing crucial programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and also repealing clean energy credits put in place by the Biden administration. Up to 15 million Americans will be uninsured by 2034 due to the bill's cuts, and 7.6 million will be at risk of losing Medicaid, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. 'What we're going to do here this morning is truly historic, and it will make all the difference in the daily lives of hardworking Americans.… To put it simply, this bill gets Americans back to winning again, and it's been a long time coming,' Speaker Mike Johnson said, in a floor speech prior to the vote. Democrats are accusing the GOP of pushing the anti-working-class bill 'under the cover of darkness.' 'Here's what it will mean for the American people,' Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, prior to the vote. 'Children will get hurt. Women will get hurt. Older Americans who rely on Medicaid for nursing home care and for home care will get hurt. People with disabilities who rely on Medicaid to survive, will get hurt. Hospitals in your districts will close. Nursing homes will shut down. And people will die.' This story has been updated.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New Ruling Moves Oregon Closer to Legal In-Home Psilocybin Use
A lawsuit seeking the development of in-home psilocybin services for individuals with disabilities in Oregon will continue after a U.S. district court denied a motion to dismiss on May 30. The case could set an important precedent for future drug laws and accessibility for all Americans, including those with disabilities. In 2020, 56 percent of Oregonians voted in favor of the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act (Measure 109), which directed the Oregon Health Authority to license and regulate psilocybin products and services for individuals aged 21 and older. While a handful of cities in the U.S. had previously decriminalized psilocybin, Oregon was the first state to both decriminalize and create a legal regulatory framework for its supervised use. After two years of rule drafting, the OHA began accepting applications in 2023 for licensed psilocybin service centers, which are regulated facilities where psilocybin can be administered. Rather than focus on selling a product, service centers are geared toward health and wellness and are designed to offer support before, during, and after psilocybin use by licensed service facilitators. This model opened up psilocybin use for most Oregon residents but makes accessing psilocybin services impossible for individuals unable to leave home because of a disability. To fix this oversight in the law, four practitioners licensed by the state to guide people through psilocybin experiences have alleged that the current OHA process fails to reasonably accommodate those with disabilities as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Cusker et al v. OHA was filed after the OHA denied the plaintiffs' request for a process to be developed for in-home psilocybin services to people with disabilities who are unable to visit service centers. In response to the request, state attorneys argued that "there is no legal pathway to make accommodations for psilocybin to be consumed outside of a licensed service center" and that Measure 109 "would need to be amended for accommodations to be permitted." Although the measure only allows the use of psilocybin under facilitator supervision at a service center—which has to comply with specific location requirements, including stipulations prohibiting a center from being located within "the limits of an incorporated city or town" or in areas "zoned exclusively for residential use"—others believe the OHA has the authority and flexibility needed to interpret the language consistent with ADA requirements. But the OHA has declined to address the issue through rule making. The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon since the claim revolves around the OHA violating the ADA, a federal law. While psilocybin was decriminalized and legally regulated under Oregon law, it remains classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act. The OHA filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that the federal court lacked jurisdiction to decide the case because plaintiffs were asking the court to violate both state and federal law. The federal court would have to order the OHA to break federal law if it required the agency to produce, possess, or administer a Schedule I drug. The OHA also argued that the court would have to order a violation of Oregon's Controlled Substances Act if it required the agency to dispense psilocybin outside of a service center. Ultimately, the court denied the OHA's motion to dismiss, relying on case law involving a non-ADA-compliant marijuana dispensary. In Smith v. 116 S Market LLC (2020), Michael Smith, who is paraplegic, encountered difficulty accessing a dispensary due to a lack of accessible parking spaces, uneven ground between the parking lot and entry, and a noncompliant ramp. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Smith, granting him $4,000 in statutory damages for each encounter, under the rationale that the decision did not force the dispensary owner to distribute a Schedule I drug but merely required ADA compliance—which does not violate federal law. By adopting this reasoning, Cusker will be able to move forward. The post New Ruling Moves Oregon Closer to Legal In-Home Psilocybin Use appeared first on
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
A bat in Morgan County has tested positive for rabies, health officials warn
MORGAN, Utah () — The Weber-Morgan Health Department is reminding residents to ensure their pets' vaccinations are up to date and avoid touching bats or other wild animals after a bat tested positive for rabies. This marks the first report of a rabies-positive bat in Utah for 2025. Health officials warn that as the weather warms up, the chances of coming into contact with rabies increase. 'Bats play an important role in our ecosystem and the majority of the bats in our population are healthy and tend to keep to themselves,' explained Amy Carter, a communicable disease nurse with the Weber-Morgan Health Department. 'However, if you see one in the daylight, or if it's in a place where you or your pet can pick it up, there's a good chance it is ill.' VIDEO: Man hangs Israeli and American flag on mosque in Salt Lake City Rabies is to both pets and humans if left untreated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It primarily spreads to humans and pets through bites and scratches from an infected animal. Common carriers include bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes and unvaccinated cats and dogs. Every year, roughly 60,000 Americans receive medical treatment following a potential rabies exposure, but control measures in the United States have helped reduce the virus as a public health threat. 'The good news is that rabies is preventable,' Carter said. Heber Valley Temple lawsuit: Judge hears arguments on temple construction Some recommendations to protect you and your pets include keeping your pet's vaccinations up-to-date, as required by Utah law, and staying away from wild animals. If a wild animal appears sick, injured or is acting strangely, the Weber-Morgan Health Department recommends calling animal control for assistance. 'Vaccination is important because it is how we prevent rabies in our cats and dogs. It saves time and heartache if your pet is involved in a biting incident or comes in contact with a rabid bat or other animal,' said Carter. If you are bitten or scratched by a bat or any other wild animal, the Weber-Morgan Health Department said you should immediately wash the wound with soap and water and visit your doctor. If possible, safely contain the bat or animal and contact the so it can be tested for rabies. The Weber-Morgan Health Department also recommends reporting any interactions with a bat found in a sleeping area. More information about bats, animals and rabies can be found through the or the . Suspect hides in trap door during SWAT raid in Murray Trump tax bill would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over a decade: CBO Judge tosses Democrats' challenge to Trump order's effect on FEC A bat in Morgan County has tested positive for rabies, health officials warn Historic Hill Air Force Base chapel reopens following years of extensive renovations Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
