As the science around nicotine delivery evolves, so too must the platforms that publish and shape global understanding of its impacts. Springer’s Internal and Emergency Medicine journal has responded to this challenge with a bold move: the relaunch and expansion of its curated research collection under a new title—“Health Effects of E-Cigarettes, Heated Tobacco and Oral Nicotine Products.”
This initiative builds on the success of its previous thematic series and acknowledges a major shift in the nicotine landscape: the rapid rise of smoke-free alternatives and the complex questions they pose for medicine, regulation, and public health.
A Reflection of the New Nicotine Era
Combustible tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death globally. But over the last decade, innovation in nicotine delivery has introduced a new class of products—vapes, heated tobacco devices, nicotine pouches, and other oral forms—that deliver nicotine without burning tobacco. The growth in these categories has been explosive, driven by consumer demand for less harmful alternatives and by public health voices seeking realistic pathways out of the smoking epidemic.
With this expansion, Springer acknowledges that nicotine science can no longer be viewed solely through the lens of smoking. Instead, it now sits at the intersection of toxicology, pharmacology, behavioral science, and harm reduction. The journal’s broadened scope reflects an urgent need to critically assess how non-combustible products are used, how they affect health, and how they should be regulated.
The Importance of Research That Keeps Pace
What makes this relaunch timely is not just the diversity of products now available, but the velocity at which they’re evolving. Oral nicotine products such as pouches are increasingly being used by consumers who never smoked, raising important questions about long-term effects, addiction potential, and risk perception. Heated tobacco products (HTPs), which sit somewhere between cigarettes and vapes in terms of technology, require independent data to validate manufacturer claims. And e-cigarettes, which have been around longer, still face unresolved debates about their efficacy for smoking cessation versus their appeal to youth.
This expanded Springer collection aims to create a dedicated space for high-quality, peer-reviewed research that can provide clear evidence amid public confusion and policy contention. It sends a strong message: nicotine alternatives deserve the same level of scientific scrutiny as traditional tobacco—not more fear, not less rigor.
Why This Matters Now
Governments across the world are grappling with how to regulate these products. Some have embraced harm reduction strategies that leverage non-combustible options to lower smoking rates. Others have imposed harsh restrictions—or outright bans—based on concerns over youth uptake or perceived unknowns. Often, these decisions are made with limited or conflicting evidence, which underscores the importance of accessible, unbiased scientific literature.
By expanding its editorial focus, Springer is helping fill this gap. It recognizes that policymakers, clinicians, public health experts, and consumers all need a trusted source of data to inform their decisions. Whether it’s evaluating biomarkers of exposure in heated tobacco users or understanding the metabolic effects of long-term nicotine pouch use, the answers must come from independent science—not industry messaging or ideology.
What to Expect from the New Collection
Under its new title, the collection invites submissions across a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
- Clinical studies on health effects of non-combustible nicotine products
- Toxicological assessments of new nicotine delivery systems
- Behavioral and cessation studies
- Population-level health impact modeling
- Regulatory science and policy analysis
- Comparisons between combustible and non-combustible use outcomes
- Studies on dual use, dependence potential, and youth exposure
This broader scope not only welcomes more diverse research voices—it also encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration, acknowledging that no single field can answer all the questions nicotine science now presents.
The Path Forward: Science Over Stigma
The relaunch of this collection represents more than just a name change. It’s a signal to the academic and public health community that the conversation about nicotine must evolve. Smoke-free products are not going away. Instead of asking whether they should exist, we must ask: What do we know? What do we still need to find out? And how can we ensure public health decisions are anchored in evidence, not emotion?
In a climate too often shaped by ideological extremes, this new Springer collection offers a third path—one of scientific curiosity, clinical responsibility, and global relevance.
📚 Source:
Springer Editorial, Internal and Emergency Medicine.
“Health effects of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and oral nicotine products.”
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11739-025-04057-4.pdf
