New Approaches
Conference  

Harvard Club of New York City – Midtown NY (in person & virtually)
2025 Annual Date: Monday, September 22 at 8:00am-7:00pm
Saving Lives in the 21st Century: Purpose, Renewal, Action
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Session I: Spotlight on the FCTC 20 Years Later – Where Are We Now?

20 years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) brought together governments, scientists, doctors, and public health experts from across the globe to combat the epidemic of smoking and develop the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC), a comprehensive, global anti-smoking legislation. As the first use of the WHO’s treaty powers, the FCTC changed the ways in which world leaders and their constituents view cigarette smoking, taking on the powerful tobacco industry lobby and challenging the widely held belief that smoking poses little to no risk to one’s health. Guided by sources of international law, the introductory session of the New Approaches Conference will introduce the overall theme of this year’s summit, reflecting upon the progress of the FCTC, and the true intent of nations at the time of its ratification, while further exploring how novel technological innovations such as tobacco-free nicotine fit within the scope of the FCTC.

Session II: Spotlight on Regulatory Approaches and Medicinal Licensing – Synergistic Protection of Public Health

This session will delve into the need for innovation in medicinal nicotine, the promise of treating ENDS as smoking cessation tools, and the considerations for nations to achieve public health gains. Speakers explore the role of regulatory science to create improved long-term public health outcomes and overcome short-term political challenges. Balanced regulation, proportional to risk, might encourage shifts away from combustible tobacco and address health disparities. While innovations can address concerns such as youth access, waste, and illicit trade, challenging the assumption that innovation and regulation conflict. Lastly, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, endorsed by doctors for smoking cessation and harm reduction, could evolve with technological advancements.

Session III: Spotlight on Sustainability and Innovation - How Sustainable is the Category Really?

This session will explore the forefront of sustainability and innovation in modern nicotine products. As a novel industry, how can lessons from adjacent industries be included in product design and business practices? How can progress be driven by sustainable finance? And how can quantifying carbon emissions create a solution?

Session IV: Spotlight on Finance and Operations –  Reaching and Switching Populations that Smoke

This session will outline the potential of 21st-century technology to address legacy issues, shepherding smokers to cessation or modern alternatives. Keynotes and panels cover market insights, youth access prevention technology in retail, as well as the distribution of products among hard-to-reach populations such as in mental health clinics. The crucial role of retailers in ensuring proper distribution and compliance with regulatory standards in the evolving nicotine industry will be highlighted.

2025 New Approaches to Tobacco Control & Harm Reduction: Saving Lives in the 21st Century
Purpose, Renewal, Action
.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Fourth Annual New Approaches Summit, which will return to New York City during UNGA80 and Climate week, on Monday, September 22, 2025.

This one-day event brings together a diverse group of experts from various sectors (including government, public health, policy, advocacy, regulatory, technology, investment, and the scientific community), to discuss and address critical U.S. and global challenges and opportunities related to tobacco control and harm reduction. United by a shared mission: to accelerate an end to smoking-related deaths, improve global health outcomes, and foster a sustainable future.

Last year we broke new ground by hosting the Foreign Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Denzil Douglas, who opened with a powerful call to balance prevention, cessation, and harm reduction in the fight against tobacco-related diseases. Watch his speech here | read the transcript here.

This year we will continue the conversation focused on how policy, science, innovation, and pragmatic evidence-based approaches can collectively, and responsibly accelerate an end to smoking-related harm.

Preview the 2025 agenda in development. You can also view past meeting materials, including agendas, presentations, photos and more hosted within the "Past Agendas" dropdown tab.

Register now for your delegate pass to attend either in person or virtual Zoom livestream:
2025 Delegate Registration



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New Approaches is an independent global forum on science and policy, held annually in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and adjacent to Climate week in New York City. As a neutral convener, New Approaches host programming developed by summit chairs and speakers from diverse backgrounds. The views expressed by speakers are their own, and a variety of perspectives is encouraged. The Summit is open to all stakeholders dedicated to achieving a public health impact.

Conference Co-Chairs

Derek Yach, MBChB MPH
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Derek Yach is currently an independent global health consultant who has focused his career on the holistic advancement of public health around the world. He was the founder and president of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World and a former Executive Director of the Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at the World Health Organization (WHO) where Dr. Yach led the development of WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Nataliia Toropova
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Nataliia Toropova is the head of the Healthy Initiatives International Think Tank and a former Program Manager for the World Health Organization (WHO). Previously, she served as an Advocacy Coordinator for Eastern Europe at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Keynote Highlights 2023

Featured Keynote: Tom Miller
Global Lessons from the United States: The State of Tobacco Control and Harm Reduction Today
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Tom Miller will reflect for the first time publicly on the state of tobacco control and harm reduction having left office. His keynote will showcase major achievements over the past two decades and share insights about what needs to be done in order to save future generations from death caused by cigarettes.

Let’s not overreact about e-cigarettes

By Tom Miller
Read the article

2025 Speakers

 
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​​Dr. Javed Khan OBE is author of the groundbreaking “Khan Review - Making Smoking Obsolete,” examining best practices for a smoke-free UK. He has led the UK's largest children’s charity, Barnardo’s, and serves on several public and private board committees including his role as Chair of the Integrated Care Board of the UK NHS.  Previously, Javed Khan was the chief executive of Victim Support.  He has received honorary doctorate degrees from Birmingham City University as well as the University of Salford, and was appointed Order of The British Empire for services to young people and education. Dr. Khan had received his BSc. in Mathematics from the University of Salford, and is a qualified secondary education teacher.
Dr. Javed Khan, OBE
Author of "The Khan Review - Making Smoking Obsolete"
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Vivien Azer is a Managing Director and senior research analyst specializing in beverages, tobacco, and cannabis sectors. Vivien is the first senior Wall Street analyst to cover the emerging cannabis sector, resulting in notable global press coverage across media outlets such as CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Barron’s and Forbes. Vivien’s coverage of the tobacco and cannabis sectors earned her industry accolades including a spot on Institutional Investor’s All- America Research Team on several occasions. In 2022, Vivien was selected as one of the most influential names in cannabis on Forbes’ “The Cannabis 42.0” list. She was also named to MJBiz Daily’s list of “20 Women to Watch in 2019” and selected by Business Insider as a “Rising Star of Marijuana Investing.” Prior to joining Cowen and Company in 2014, she spent over nine years at Citi covering consumer staples. Vivien holds a BA from the College of William and Mary and an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Vivien Azer
Managing Director, Cowen
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Jasjit S. Ahluwalia is a physician and public health scientist at Brown University’s Schools of Public Health and Medicine, and is the Associate Director of the Legoretta Cancer Center. He has been in academic medicine since 1992 and has been a practicing physician, faculty member, department chair, associate dean and center director in medical schools, and dean of the School of Public Health. His primary research areas are smoking cessation and nicotine addiction in African American smokers. He has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for 25 years and has published more than 350 manuscripts. Ahluwalia has served on the U.S. government’s National Advisory Council on Minority Health and Health Disparities, on the SRNT board of directors and just completed a 3 year term on the federal government’s Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health chaired by the U.S. Surgeon General. Ahluwalia trained at New York University, received a Doctor of Medicine degree and a Master of Public Health degree at Tulane University, a medical residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a clinical epidemiology fellowship at Harvard Medical School, where he received a master’s degree in health policy.
Dr. Jasjit S. Ahluwalia, MD MPH MS
Professor of Medicine, Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University
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Jasjit S Ahluwalia, MD, MPH, MS
HIDE
Professor at Brown University School of Public Health
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Indrani Pal-Chaudhury is a global human rights activist who focuses much of her career on human trafficking and environmental sustainability. She teaches at Princeton University.
Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri
Social Justice Activist and Celebrity Film Maker

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“Described by Rolling Stone as "the point man" for drug policy reform efforts and “the real drug czar,” Ethan Nadelmann is widely regarded as the outstanding proponent of drug policy reform both in the United States and abroad. He founded and directed first The Lindesmith Center and then the Drug Policy Alliance from 1994 to 2017, during which time he and his colleagues were at the forefront of dozens of successful campaigns to legalize marijuana and advance harm reduction alternatives to the war on drugs.  Ethan currently hosts the leading podcast on all things drugs: PSYCHOACTIVE.”
Dr. Ethan Nadelmann
Co-Founder of the Drug Policy Alliance

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Sammi Toorish is a highly motivated cannabis enthusiast with a deep passion for science, the cannabis plant, and the people both can serve. Sammi is a Colgate University alumna where her focus on International Relations prompted a dedicated interest in issue-based politics, particularly public health; human rights; economic development; and community empowerment. Sammi has deep experience in private market due diligence, political and non-profit fundraising, and cannabis-specific market research.Sammi joined Arcadian Capital in 2021, focused on portfolio management, deal origination, and due diligence. Prior to Arcadian, Sammi spent 3+ years supporting 30+ top PE and VC firms in and outside of cannabis. Sammi was most recently at BDSA, a leading market research firm to the cannabis industry, helping investors and operators utilize data for better investment and strategic decision-making. Previously, Sammi spend time at VU Venture Partners, leading four early-stage investments across Consumer and Frontier verticals.
Sammi Toorish
VP, Investments - Arcadian Capital

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Laurent Manca is an innovator, inventor and strategist focused on disrupting mature industries. He holds 40+ US and international patents as the co-inventor of heat-not-burn product IQOS. Previously, Laurent worked at Philip Morris on IQOS as well as multiple other Reduced Risk Products. He is a co-founder of the tobacco-free nicotine vaporizer company SMOOD. SMOOD has grown into a global vaping business built on sustainability, advanced chemistry, and granted and pending hardware patents. Laurent graduated from Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (Bachelor), HEC Geneva (MBA), and MIT (FinTech).
Laurent Manca
Inventor of IQOS

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Tony Abboud is an attorney, government affairs expert, and regulatory consultant who represents companies in the tobacco and vapor spaces and who serves as the executive director of the Vapor Technology Association (VTA).  VTA is a U.S. trade association representing the alternative nicotine products industry. Abboud was instrumental in founding and growing VTA, which advocates for rational science-based regulations and a well-regulated marketplace for lower risk nicotine products as an alternative to cigarettes.  Abboud has extensive experience in law, public policy, government and politics. He has represented companies on legal and regulatory issues for more than 25 years. Abboud left the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP in 2010 to found his consulting firm, Strategic Government Solutions, which focuses on companies and associations in heavily regulated industries, including the tobacco and vapor industries, and has advised such companies for more than a decade.  Abboud is recognized as a leading voice for essential regulations and a balanced discussion of vapor products. He is a frequent speaker at national symposiums and has been extensively quoted in the media, including national print, television and radio.  Tony lives near Chicago with his wife, a former Cook County prosecutor, and their three children.  Tony earned his B.A. in Political Science from Carleton College in 1988 and his J.D. with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1994.
Tony Abboud
Executive Director, Vapor Technology Association (VTA), President Strategic Government Solutions Inc.



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Jeannie Cameron is an expert on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control FCTC, including attending its negotiation in Geneva and the development of its subsequent Protocol on Illicit Trade. As part of an LLM in 2007, Jeannie earned a distinction from King’s College University of London for a dissertation on the topic of Emerging International Public Health Issues – Human Rights, Harm Reduction, and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Jeannie has been a parliamentary advisor, chief of staff as well as a civil servant in the International Legal Section of the Australian Cabinet participating in international forums including the Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development and the Beijing UN Platform for Action on Discrimination Against Women. She has consulted for the OECD and served as Co-Chair of the OECD’s Charting Illicit Trade Taskforce on Environmentally Sensitive Goods and Wildlife. Jeannie is CEO of JCIC International, a UK based strategic advocacy consultancy founded in 2011 focused on strategic advocacy. Jeannie has consulted for PMI on various global initiatives and formerly headed BAT’s International Political and Regulatory Affairs area. Jeannie took an 18-month break from consulting in January 2020 to work as Vice President, International at Juul Labs. Jeannie is an active commentator on tobacco harm reduction, public administration and governance reform.
Jeannie Cameron
Legal and Policy Expert

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Entrepreneur Julien Lacour-Gayet is the CEO of an electronic NRT development company Ventus Medical.  Previously, Lacour-Gayet served as the International Business Developer at Nespresso, and held various senior management roles at Philip Morris. He was founder and CEO of NEXVAP, a global developer of various NRT drug delivery platforms.   Currently, Lacour-Gayet serves on the board of Ventus Medical Ltd, Nexvap SA, and Neia SA.  Lacour-Gayet possesses a scientific background with a B.A.Sc from Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne and an MBA from IMD.
Julien Lacour-Gayet
CEO of Ventus Medical

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John has a strong background and reputation in the European e-cigarette industry having held senior executive positions in some of the US and Europe’s biggest companies. As managing director of Dyflin Group Consulting, he advises many leading industry analysts, financial institutions and media organisations looking at the vaping and CBD sectors. John is also Director-General and one of the founders of the UKVIA, the UK’s largest vaping Industry association and has advised the UK government All Party Parliamentary Group on Vaping as well as giving evidence before the UK Science & Technology Committee investigation into the Vaping industry, the Australian and Irish Parliaments review on vaping. John regularly appears on national television, radio as well as national and international print media. John is a popular guest speaker at many of the world’s leading conventions.
John Dunne
Director-General UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), Vape & CBD Industry Consultant

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Patricia I. Kovacevic is a global legal and compliance nicotine and cannabis industry expert. She currently serves as General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Head of External Affairs at Cryomass Technologies Inc, and advises clients through her own consulting group, RegulationStrategy. Ms. Kovacevic has over twenty years of experience in the highly regulated nicotine, cannabis and cannabidiol industries. Her career includes leading senior legal and regulatory positions at Philip Morris International and Lorillard, among others.  While at Lorillard, in 2012 she was closely involved with the acquisition of blu, at the time the leading vaping company, which was also the first ever acquisition by a tobacco company of a vaping company. Her team also obtained the first-ever premarket authorization for a new tobacco product issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Tobacco Control Act. At Nicopure Labs as general counsel she spearheaded the litigation challenging the FDA’s so-called “deeming rule.”  Prior to joining Lorillard, Ms. Kovacevic was a partner at Patton Boggs. Her focus includes M&A in highly regulated industries, such as e-cigarette and tobacco, all aspects of nicotine and cannabis regulation in the US and abroad, SOX compliance and all regulatory aspects of marketing/media communications, corporate affairs, criminal investigations, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, trade sanctions, privacy, and product development and launch. Ms. Kovacevic served on the board of directors of the Vapor Technology Association and on the advisory board of the Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum. She authored several articles on nicotine regulation and is often invited as a keynote speaker and presenter before global conferences and government agencies. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School and is admitted to practice in New York, before the United States Tax Court, the United States Court of International Trade and the Supreme Court of the United States of America. She speaks fluently seven languages.
Patricia I. Kovacevic
Global Legal and Compliance Expert

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Jordan Nof is a Co-founder and Managing Partner at Tusk Venture Partners L.P. and is a member of the firm’s Investment Committee. He has led many of the firm’s investments including Lemonade, Bird, Coinbase, Alma, Sunday, and Wheel. He currently serves on the board of directors of Alma, Sunday, and Wheel.Prior to Tusk Venture Partners, Jordan spent six years as a Director at Blackstone, where he focused on the development of the firm’s corporate venture capital portfolio. During that time, Jordan focused on investing in early-stage technology companies that could accelerate operations across Blackstone and the firm’s underlying portfolio companies.Before joining Blackstone, Jordan spent four years in the institutional investment management division at AllianceBernstein. During that time, he worked with many of the firm’s largest global institutional sub-advisory relationships.Jordan received an M.B.A. from Rollins Graduate School of Business and is a graduate of Florida State University where he received a B.S. in Finance. He is based out of the firm’s New York office.
Jordan Nof
Co-founder and Managing Partner at Tusk Ventures

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Dr. Raymond Niaura is a psychologist and an expert on tobacco dependence and treatment, as well as substance use and addiction to alcohol. Dr. Niaura researches the biobehavioral substrates of tobacco dependence, including factors that influence adolescent and early adult tobacco use trajectories. He also evaluates behavioral and pharmacological treatments for tobacco cessation, with a particular interest in cessation in disadvantaged population to address public health disparities in tobacco-related burdens of illness and disability.
Dr. Ray Niaura
Professor of Public Health, NYU

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Dr. William Jackson has a background in chemistry from Imperial College, London, where he obtained his undergraduate degree and PhD in chemistry, followed by postdoctoral research at MIT. After 10 years of medicinal research, Dr. Jackson moved into the generic pharmaceutical industry developing novel processes for existing drugs. For the last 20 years he has operated an independent laboratory with his work spanning several areas for various clients. He had been working closely with Zanoprima for several years prior to becoming an employee in 2021.
Dr. William Jackson
Scientific Expert, Zanoprima Lifesciences



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Martin Steinbauer is an entrepreneur and investor focused on medical inhalable devices and aerosolization technology. He co-founded the tobacco-free nicotine vaporizer company SMOOD. SMOOD has grown into a global vaping business built on sustainability, advanced chemistry, and granted and pending hardware patents. Prior to SMOOD, Martin was an investment analyst at BlackRock in New York. Martin graduated from Harvard University with a degree in applied mathematics.
Martin Steinbauer
Founder at SMOOD

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Before Becoming the Co-Founder and President of ANDS. Fadi has reached many milestones in his career, most notably as the GM and Chairman of Philip Morris in Jordan and PAA, global sales strategy at PMI HQ in Switzerland, and the head of commercial deployment in KSA. He also earned well-deserved coveted positions in JUUL labs as the Head of Middle East, Africa & Turkey and the Head of EU Travel Retail. Fadi is an expert in staging, communication, and brand building of Electronic nicotine delivery solutions, from the angles of Harm reduction, regulatory challenges, and product innovation and development.
Fadi Maayta
Co-Founder and President, ANDS

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Dr. John Oyston is a trained anesthesiologist, qualifying as a specialist in both the UK and Canada who has served as Chief of Anesthesiology four times. He was an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto as well as a peer assessor for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Dr. Oyston has taught anesthesiology in Rwanda and Ethiopia and founded the organization“Stop Smoking for Safer Surgery” in 2007. He retired from anesthesiology in November 2019 to work on smoking cessation and vaping issues. Dr. Oyston graduated from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, with a medical degree and an additional degree in medical research. He writes about tobacco and other issues on a blog at www.johnoyston.com.
Dr. John Oyston
MB BS, BMedSci, FRCA, FRCP(C)

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Derek Yach is currently an independent global health consultant who has focused his career on the holistic advancement of public health around the world. He was the founder and president of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World and a former Executive Director of the Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at the World Health Organization (WHO) where Dr. Yach led the development of WHO’s
Dr. William Jackson HIDE
Zanoprima Lifesciences

Scientific Expert

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Agenda 2023
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8:00-8:45 AM
45 mins


Breakfast/Registration
Harvard Club Entrance/Harvard Grill (Floor 1)
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Sponsored by Ventus Medical
8:45 – 9:00 AM
15 mins

Welcome Remarks from the Conference Chair
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Dr. Derek Yach, MBChB MPH
Harvard Hall

Session I: Spotlight on the FCTC 20 Years Later - Where Are We Now?
Moderated by Dr. Derek Yach, MBChB MPH, Global Public Health Expert

20 years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) brought together governments, scientists, doctors, and public health experts from across the globe to combat the epidemic of smoking and develop the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC), a comprehensive, global anti-smoking legislation. As the first use of the WHO’s treaty powers, the FCTC changed how world leaders and their constituents view cigarette smoking. Guided by sources of international law, the introductory session of the New Approaches Conference will introduce the overall theme of this year’s summit, by providing a reflection on the progress of the FCTC, the true intent of nations at the time of its ratification, and further exploring how novel technological innovations fit within the scope of the framework. This session will address the progress of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they relate to smoking cessation, in particular SDG 3, to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages,” by addressing the rate of mortality and non-communicable disease caused by smoking in the 21st century.  

9:00-9:20 AM
20 mins
Keynote: Global Lessons from the United States - The State of Tobacco Control and Harm Reduction Today

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While the world grapples with the harms of smoking, the United States of America have taken a radically different approach from many other countries. This keynote will illustrate the current state of tobacco control in the US, outlining the various approaches taken to reduce the consumption of cigarettes amongst Americans, while illustrating both the successes and opportunities in the tobacco control space domestically and globally.
Tom Miller,
Former US State Attorney General of Iowa, Longest-Serving State AG in US History
Harvard Hall
9:20-9:35 AM
15 mins
Keynote: 20 Years Later: The FCTC

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As New Approaches honors the 20th anniversary of the ratification of the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC), Dr. Derek Yach, a key player in its ratification as the WHO’s first use of its treaty powers, will reflect on its implementation, progress, and the path forward towards achieving a world without smoking.
Dr. Derek Yach, MBChB MPH
Harvard Hall
9:35 – 9:55 PM
20 mins
Fireside Chat: What Are the Global Implications of US FDA and US-based Tobacco Control Nonprofit Actions?
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What are the implications for what the US does for some of these global treaties? This fireside chat will feature an in-depth conversation between an instrumental voice in the ratification of the FCTC and one of America’s longest-serving tobacco control advocates.
Tom Miller and Dr. Derek Yach
Harvard Club Entrance/Grill
9:55-10:10 AM
15 mins
Keynote: World-Wide Voices: FCTC Then and FCTC Now

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Implemented 20 years ago, the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) came at a time when little-to-no alternatives were available for cigarette smokers. Shortly after its ratification, nicotine-containing alternatives started to emerge in the form of nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), implicitly substantiating the reality that the problem with cigarettes was combustion, not nicotine.  This keynote will examine the tobacco product landscape at the time of the FCTC's ratification, contrast it with the world of nicotine today, and unpack whether the applicability of the FCTC, written 20 years ago, still holds relevance for today's nicotine products.
Dr. Kgosi Letlape,
Africa Medical Association, Association of Medical Councils of Africa
Harvard Hall
10:10-10:25 AM
15 mins
Keynote: Roadmap of Actions Advancing the WHO FCTC Implementation in the Caribbean

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Apart from Haiti, all PAHO/WHO Member States from the Caribbean are Parties to the WHO FCTC. This keynote will present the CARICOM regional perspective on the current situation of the WHO FCTC implementation, exploring three main themes: 1) the landscape of tobacco control in the Caribbean, including select country experiences in advancing implementation of the WHO FCTC; (2) the WHO FCTC MPOWER package: monitoring the prevalence of tobacco use and tobacco control policies (M), protection exposure to tobacco smoke (P), offer help to quit, (O), warn about the dangers of tobacco (W), enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (E), and raise taxes on tobacco products (R), and (3) PAHO/WHO action Plans and Caribbean mandates. 
Shem Baldeosingh,
Nexum Consulting Limited
Harvard Hall
10:25-10:40 AM
15 mins
Keynote: Consumer Advocacy and the FCTC COP 10 

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Consumers are routinely excluded as stakeholders in nicotine policy, despite being the most affected. However, history shows that consumers are a powerful voice and have much to offer policymakers towards framing effective and proportionate regulations. Martin will discuss why consumers should be embraced by public health, not feared.
Martin Cullip,
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Harvard Hall
10:40-11:05 AM
25 mins
Panel: The Text Matters – Intent of Member States During the Creation of the FCTC and the Ways in Which it Has Been Distorted

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While the FCTC had been ratified 20 years ago, public health leaders today question whether its true essence has been preserved. This panel will feature key voices of international law who were present during the negotiation of the treaty, breaking down the true intent of nations at the time of the treaty’s ratification. Panelists will further outline potential short-fallings in its present-day interpretation, and illustrate a path forward towards maintaining a true good-faith interpretation of the FCTC.
Panelists:
Dr. Kgosi Letlape
Martin Cullip
Jeannie Cameron
Shem Baldeosingh

Moderator:
Derek Yach
Harvard Hall
11:05-11:15 AM
10 mins
Video Keynote: A Message From a Ukrainian Soldier to the UN

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This video keynote will feature a chilling message from a former snus manufacturer turned Ukrainian freedom fighter on a unique use case of tobacco harm-reduction products.
"Charkes" from Kyiv, A Powerful Voice from the Front-Lines of the War

Presented by Dr. Derek Yach

11:15-11:25 AM
10 mins
COFFEE BREAK 1: Networking, Refreshments and Snacks
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Sponsored by Haypp Group
Harvard Hall

Session ll: Spotlight on Finance and Operations – Reaching and Switching Populations that Smoke

This session outlines the potential of 21st-century technology to address legacy issues, shepherding smokers to cessation or modern alternatives. Keynotes and panels cover market insights, youth access prevention technology in retail, as well as the distribution of products among hard-to-reach populations such as in mental health clinics. The crucial role of retailers in ensuring proper distribution and compliance with regulatory standards in the evolving nicotine industry will be highlighted. Session II addresses SDG 3 by outlining key strategies for achieving smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction on a population level through finance, operations, and retail, and further outline the ENDS industry and other THR products can promote, SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), and SDG 10 (reduced inequalities).

11:25-11:40 AM
15 mins
Keynote: Opportunities and Challenges - State of the ENDS and Nicotine Market in a Time of Regulatory and Technological Transformation

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This keynote will explore the market dynamics of reduced-risk products and outline what the sector could look like in the next decade. What is the competitive landscape and how it will likely intensify as leading manufacturers seek market share?  And what is the impact of taxes and regulation on converting people who smoke to reduced-risk products?
Bonnie Herzog,
Goldman Sachs
Harvard Hall
11:40-11:55 AM
15 mins
Keynote: Consumer Demand for Innovation in Nicotine
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Haypp is the largest retailer of nicotine pouches globally and the largest provider of insights to brand owners. The presentation walks through data from actual consumer patterns and provides a few contrarian predictions.
Gavin O’Dowd, Haypp Group
Harvard Hall
11:55-12:05 PM
10 mins
Keynote: Next-generation Youth Access Prevention Technologies

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Introducing SAVE: Secure Age Verification Enforcement. A novel technological system for youth access prevention at point of sale, and after-market. Unlike other technologies, SAVE is based on near-field communication (NFC) that is simple, easily accessible, and inexpensive for manufacturers to ensure their products are not accessible to or useable by underage persons, while safeguarding data privacy.
Martin Steinbauer,
SMOOD
Harvard Hall
12:05 - 12:30PM
25 mins
Panel: The Role of the Retailer

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Key wholesale and retail partners are essential in providing access to ENDS for smokers. A critical role in how nicotine products are distributed, marketed, sold, and ensure proper policing and regulatory standards are enforced and upheld at point-of-sale. This session explores the challenges, advocacy wins, and proposed learnings from Key Industry Leaders with shared perspectives from US and UK.
Panelists:
Chad Owen, Chambers & Owen
David Simpson, Venta Services
Kylie Halperin, SKYX Group
Steve Sandman, Convenience Store Industry Expert

Moderator:
Bonnie Herzog,
Goldman Sachs
Harvard Hall
12:30 – 1:30 PM
1 hour
LUNCH BREAK Served sit-down style
Biddle Room (Floor 3)

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Sponsored by Inter Scientific
Biddle Room (Floor 3) 

Session lll: Spotlight on Regulatory Approaches and Medicinal Licensing – Synergistic Protection of Public Health
Moderated by Dr. Derek Yach, MBChB MPH


This session delves into the need for innovation in medicinal nicotine, the promise of treating ENDS as smoking cessation tools, and the considerations for nations to achieve public health gains for the purpose of promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).  Speakers explore the role of regulatory science to create improved long-term public health outcomes and overcome short-term political challenges. Balanced regulation, proportional to risk, might encourage shifts away from combustible tobacco and address health disparities. While innovations can address concerns such as youth access, waste, and illicit trade, challenging the assumption that innovation and regulation conflict. Lastly, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, endorsed by doctors for smoking cessation and harm reduction, could evolve with technological advancements.

1:30-1:45 PM
15 mins
Keynote: Science vs. Politics: The FDA’s Short-Sighted Regulation of E-Cigarettes

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Why is the FDA taking such a narrow view of e-cigarette regulation? In this keynote, former FDA Associate Commissioner Peter Pitts highlights how regulatory science impacts long-term public health outcomes, and how short-term political headwinds can be overcome in shaping a healthier future.
Peter J. Pitts,
Former US FDA Associate Commissioner
Harvard Hall
1:45-2:00 PM
15 mins
Keynote: Continuum of Risk for Nicotine-Containing Products: The Science is Accelerating

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When alternative nicotine products were first introduced to smokers, a strong argument against their market uptake was the lack of robust research.  In 2023, this is no longer the case, as researchers have since accelerated their efforts into the study of tobacco harm-reduction products, providing a body of evidence to support their public health benefits. This keynote will outline the current state of research, and the continuum of risk of nicotine products, based on the most up-to-date epidemiological data.
Dr. Ray Niaura, PhD,
Public Health and Chair of Department of Epidemiology, NYU


Harvard Hall
2:00-2:15 PM
15 mins
Keynote: The Future of Nicotine: Potential Therapeutic Benefits

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When people think of nicotine, they do not often think that it can serve as a therapeutic benefit. However, scientists and researchers have found promising results in supporting patients with Parkinson’s, ADHD, obesity, and other ailments, through clinical trials involving nicotine. This keynote will highlight current clinical research being conducted on these topics.
Jeannie Cameron,
JCIC International
Harvard Hall
2:15-2:30 PM
15 mins
Keynote: The Greatest Threat to Vaping

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Is the debate on the validity of novel nicotine products truly guided by science, or are there other voices at play? This keynote will highlight the ways in which bad-faith actors capitalize on a manufactured spectre of harm to hinder the uptake of potentially safer nicotine products.
Tony Abboud,
VTA, and Strategic Government Solutions
Harvard Hall
2:30-2:50 PM
20 mins
Panel: THR Case Study - How Politics and Communications Can Implicate Common Sense Regulatory Policies and Obscure Public Health Goals
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The function of regulation is to help guide society through the lens of science, be it analytical, environmental, social, or other.  Are today’s regulatory bodies operating under these conditions? Through the lens of tobacco harm reduction, this panel will explore both the impact and the ways in which politics and misinformation are often misappropriated towards promoting anti-scientific public health policies.
Panelists:
Peter Pitts
Dr. Kgosi Letlape
Jeannie Cameron
Dr. Ray Niaura
Tony Abboud

Moderator:
Dr. Derek Yach
Harvard Hall
2:50-3:00 PM
10 mins
COFFEE BREAK 2: Networking, Refreshments and Snacks
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Harvard Hall
3:00-3:15 PM
15 mins
Keynote: Conceptualizing Risk and Confronting Evidence: The Challenge and Opportunity of Optimal Regulation of Safer Nicotine Products

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Why do regulators and other stakeholders disagree about safer nicotine products, and how do consumers respond to regulations designed to reduce demand for SNPs? Like the products they concern, SNP regulation is not risk-free; regulators’ focus on demand reduction can steer consumers towards more risky substitutes. But risk-proportionate regulation can incentivize substitutions away from combustible tobacco and may help redress smoking related health disparities. Harm Reduction innovations can also help generate solutions to many of the popular concerns about safer nicotine, including youth access, waste management, and illicit trade. THR innovation and regulation are not, as is too often presumed, inherently antagonistic.
Sam Hampsher,
BOTEC Analysis
Harvard Hall
3:15-3:30 PM
15 mins
Keynote: The Potential of Tobacco Harm Reduction Products and Policies to End Smoking Within Our Lifetime 

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If the only actions a government takes to reduce smoking prevalence in its population is to continue to enforce or steadily implement the provisions of the FCTC, a smoke-free society cannot realistically be expected to be achieved within this century, let alone within our lifetimes. In addition to conventional tobacco control measures, tobacco harm reduction (THR) products and policies offer a major opportunity for governments to rapidly accelerate declines in the prevalence and generate significant health gains. This presentation will (i) describe the evidence underpinning the potential of e‑cigarettes/vaping products to displace billions of cigarettes and prevent millions of premature deaths; and (ii) discuss how regulators can enable, encourage, and incentive adults to substitute cigarettes for low-hazard nicotine products while preventing and discouraging use among youth and non‑smokers.
Christopher Russell, PhD,
Russell Burnett Research and Consultancy
Harvard Hall
3:30-3:45 PM
15 mins
Keynote: Medicinal Pathways for Modern Oral Products
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This keynote explores regulatory pathways and scientific necessities for medicinal approval of modern oral products with a focus on nicotine pouches. Drawing on experience from having worked on the first and only medicinal approval of a vapor product globally, David Lawson will highlight proposed regulatory approaches for the first medicinal approval in modern oral in the UK and the US.
David Lawson,
Inter Scientific
Harvard Hall
3:45-4:00 PM
15 mins
Keynote: Medicinal E-Cigarettes - A Great, Unmet, Public Health Need
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Although we are seeing unprecedented declines in global smoking prevalence, hundreds of millions of individuals across the world still smoke cigarettes and are at increased risk from heart disease, lung disease, and cancer.  No novel nicotine replacement therapies have been developed for almost two decades, and such products could co-exist with consumer products to make greater inroads into helping drive down smoking rates.  This presentation will talk about the public health imperative for medicinal nicotine, the commercial drivers, and the global routes and barriers to entry, focusing specifically on the UK and the US.

Ian Fearon, PhD,
McKinney Regulatory Science Advisors, whatIF? Consulting Ltd
Harvard Hall
4:00-4:20 PM
20 mins
Panel: A Clean Slate - Ensuring Novel Nicotine Products Produce a Public Health Benefit in Ushering in a Post-Cigarette Era

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As regulators seek to welcome novel nicotine products as potentially reduced-harm, reduced-risk, or even NRTs, manufacturers must consider a holistic, “safety by design” approach for product development and stewardship, with the aim of designing products in the R&D phase that would meet the nonclinical and risk assessment standards that make them appropriate for the protection of public health. This panel will navigate the regulatory synergy between marketing, behavioral science, toxicology, and proper consumer outreach to ensure that novel nicotine products serve a public health benefit by truly reducing the harms caused by cigarettes, while still reaching the widest segment of the current smoker population.
Panelists:
Amy Madl, PhD, DABT, Valeo Sciences
Mitch Nides, PhD, LA Clinical Trials
Ian Fearon, PhD
David Lawson
Christopher Russell, PhD

Moderator:
Derek Yach
Harvard Hall

Session lV: Spotlight on Sustainability and Innovation – How Sustainable is the Category Really?

This session will explore the forefront of sustainability and innovation in modern nicotine products. As a novel industry, how can lessons from adjacent industries be included in product design and business practices? How can progress be driven by sustainable finance? And how can quantifying carbon emissions create a solution? This session will explore the various ways in which manufacturers can achieve various UN Sustainable Development Goals, including  SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure),SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG14 (life below water), and SDG 15 (life on land).

4:20-4:35 PM
15 mins
Keynote: Recycling Lessons from Nespresso 

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The existence of single-use products has long been critiqued by environmentalists as an existential threat to environmental sustainability.  But does this have to be the case?  Former Nespresso President Frederic Levy challenges the idea that single-use products are inherently reductive towards the fight against climate change, while further outlining proven holistic strategies for mitigating a product’s environmental impact through recycling. 
Frederic Levy,
Nespresso North America (Formerly)
Harvard Hall
4:35-4:45 PM
10 mins
Keynote: A New Regulatory Frontier: Outlook on Sustainability and Waste Management Laws of Single-Use/Disposable ENDS

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This keynote will detail the response by regulators to the perceived or actual environmental pollution of new nicotine delivery systems and electronic products in particular.  Ranging from the environmental module of the PMTA to outright bans of products in some jurisdictions, Kovacevic will provide a regulatory update of existing sustainability requirements and discuss possible action government can take to create a sustainable category.
Patricia I. Kovacevic
Harvard Hall
4:45-4:55 PM
10 mins
Keynote: The Importance of Decarbonization

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While containing the same active ingredient, novel nicotine products come with technological advancements that require a unique approach towards environmental concerns. Decarbonization is the process by which Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) with a strong emphasis on Carbon Dioxide (CO2) are removed from the atmosphere to help with the effects of Climate Change. This keynote will dissect the ways in which novel nicotine products, in particular ENDS, fit into the transformation of industries, as the nicotine industry itself transforms.
Tim McCauley, PhD,
CHANGE Environmental
Harvard Hall
4:55-5:15 PM
20 mins
Panel: ESG as a Potential Tailwind for Novel Nicotine Delivery Systems

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As novel nicotine products enter the market, they bare a unique responsibility to not only transform switch smokers away from cigarettes, but to support future sustainability efforts often left behind by their predecessors. This panel will break down the ways in which novel nicotine products can pave the way for a sustainable future.
Panelists:
Owen Bennett, Jefferies
Aniket Shah, PhD, Jefferies
Tim McAuley, PhD
Frederic Levy
Christopher Russell, PhD

Moderator:
Martin Steinbauer

Harvard Hall
5:15-5:20 PM
5 mins
Closing Remarks from the Chair
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Dr. Derek Yach, MBChB MPH
Harvard Club Entrance/Grill
5:30 – 7:00 PM
1.5 hours
NETWORKING RECEPTION: Open Bar and Passed Hors d’oeuvres
Cambridge Room (Floor 2)

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Cambridge Room (Floor 2)
Early Register 2024

2024 Agenda click here



8:00 - 8:45 AM
45 min


Breakfast & Registration
Harvard Grill (Floor 1)
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Sponsored by
Zanoprima Lifesciences

8:45 – 9:00 AM
15 min
Welcome Remarks from the Summit Chair
Harvard Hall (Floor 1)

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Derek Yach,
MBChB MPH,
Global Public Health
Expert
Harvard Hall

SESSION I: Country Experiences with Harm Reduction
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM EDT | Moderated by Dr. Derek Yach

9:00 - 9:15AM
15 min
Keynote by UN Member State
To be announced
Harvard Hall
9:15 - 9:30 AM
15 min
Czech Republic: Harm Reduction as a Policy Approach – A Challenge to Abstinence Focused Policies

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The presentation will focus on current state-of-the-art approaches to addiction policy, particularly regarding tobacco harm reduction.
Jindřich Vobořil,
Expert on Drugs
Policy, Advisor to the
Prime Minister,
Czech Republic
Harvard Hall
9:30 – 9:45 AM
15
min
New Zealand: Integrating Harm Reduction in National Actions – Successes & Lessons for Island States
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New Zealand is nearing achievement of its Smokefree 2025 goal of 5% or belowsmoking prevalence. How did they achieve this and what are the lessons for othercountries?
Dr. Marewa Glover,
Centre of Research
Excellence:
Indigenous
Sovereignty &
Smoking, New
Zealand
Harvard Club Entrance/Grill
9:45 - 10:00 AM
15 min
Sweden: The Power of Alternative Products to Cut Smoking & Save Lives – Implications for Low- & Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
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Suely Castro,
Founding Director,
Quit Like Sweden
Harvard Hall
10:00 - 10:30 AM
30 min
Panel: What will it take for governments to embrace scientific evidence that tobacco harm reduction (THR) can save lives?
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Panelist:
Jindrich Vobořil
Marewa Glover
Suely Castro
Martin Cullip (TPA)

Moderator:
Dr. Derek Yach
Harvard Hall
10:30 - 10:45 AM
15 min
COFFEE BREAK 1
Learn more

Harvard Hall

SESSION II: Convergence Between Supporters and Opponents of Harm Reduction
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM EDT | Moderated by Ethan Nadelmann


10:45 - 11:00 AM
15 min
Placing Consumer Health as the Drive of How to End Smoking
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Former AG Miller will be speaking on the evolution of tobacco harm reduction throughout his tenure as Iowa Attorney General. He will be focusing on the concept of prohibition
vs. harm reduction over the years and highlighting the successes of harm eduction in recent years.
Tom Miller,
Former Iowa
Attorney General &
Harm Reduction Advocate
Harvard Hall
11:00 - 11:15 AM
15 min
A Common Grounding to Advance Harm Reduction Public Policy
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Mr. Saleh’s presentation highlights strategies on how to 1) overcome political divides when it comes to harm reduction across a variety substances and 2) address common misconceptions that lead to backlash of harm reduction policies. While the presentation takes lessons learned in the United States, Mr. Saleh will highlight important commonalities and differences to other countries and regulatory approaches.For example, how do you reduce smoking among individuals who use drugs in an era of mixed results of drug decriminalization? The presentation will cover the intersections of harm reduction, substance use, and public safety, and discuss ways to build bridges that help to advance harm reduction policies.
Mazen Saleh,
Policy Director,
Integrated Harm
Reduction,
R Street Institute
Harvard Hall
11:15 – 11:25 AM
10 min
The Morven Dialogues – Areas of Agreement Between Private & Public Parties
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Recent confidential meetings between public and private tobacco control scientistsand policy makers will be summarized, highlighting emerging areas of agreement andremaining reasons for disagreement.
Dr. Derek Yach
Harvard Hall
11:25 – 11:55 AM
30 min
Panel: How do supporters & opponents unite? Is there evidence of convergence of tobacco harm reduction and tobacco control?
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Panelists:
Tom Miller
Mazen Saleh
Jindrich Vobořil
Tim Andrews (ATR)

Moderator:
Ethan Nadelmann
Harvard Hall
12:00 – 1:00 PM
1 hour
Lunch Break
Learn more
Sponsored by
Ventus Medical

Biddle Room (Floor 3) 

SESSION III: Research and Science – Switching Populations that Smoke
1:05 PM – 2:15 PM EDT | Moderated by David Lawson


1:05 – 1:15 PM
10 min
Priorities in Tobacco Harm Reduction Research
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A draft report on priorities for THR will be released for wide debate. It includes a detailed analysis of THR by public and private scientists between 2014 and 2024 and proposes priorities for "global' research, for national research by all countries, and strategic policy research.
Dr. Derek Yach
Harvard Hall
1:15 – 1:30 PM
15 min
Legal & Regulatory Challenges for Consumer & Medical Nicotine Products
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This presentation explores some of the legal and regulatory barriers for nicotine products with a specific focus on therapeutic benefit.
David Lawson,
Executive Director
Inter Scientific &
Ventus Medical
Harvard Hall
1:30 – 1:45 PM
15 min
Equity of Tobacco Harm Reduction – Challenges & Opportunities
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Smoking and related harms are often concentrated among disadvantaged communities. The use of e-cigarettes is positively associated with smoking cessation, but how do
e-cigarettes interact with smoking-related disparities? Greater rates of vaping in the communities where smoking is highest might concentrate the cessation effect where it
is most needed. Conversely, if smokers from disadvantaged groups are less likely to transition to e-cigarettes, then health equity might suffer even while aggregate morbidity and mortality improve. Ensuring the equity of Tobacco Harm Reduction is a practical and moral imperative; one which is complicated by heterogenous consumption patterns, misinformation, and divergent perspectives on ‘harm’.
Sam Hampsher,
Managing Director,
BOTEC Analysis
Harvard Hall
1:45 – 2:15 PM
30 min
Panel: CTP, CDER, MHRA – Regulatory Agencies Learning From Each Other to Accelerate Innovation
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Panelist:
Christopher Russell,
PhD (RBRC)
Rachael
Trimpert Schmidt
(ALINC Consulting)
Ian Jones, PhD
(ARAC)

Moderator:
David Lawson
Harvard Hall
2:15 – 2:30 PM
15 min
Coffee Break 2
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Sponsored by ARAC
Harvard Hall

SESSION IV: Technology, Innovation and Regulatory
2:30 AM – 3:55 PM EDT | Moderated by Tony Abboud


2:30 – 2:50 PM
20 min
Innovation, Compliance & Regulation – Perspective from the Chinese Manufacturer Organization ECCC
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This presentation will provide insight into China's vaping manufacturing sector, helping people understand the efforts made to prevent youth vaping, promote compliance, ensure product safety, and facilitate innovation.
Mr. Ao,
Secretary-General,
China Electronics
Chamber of
Commerce (ECCC)
Harvard Hall
2:50 – 2:58 PM
6 mins
Updates from an ECCC Member Company: Navigating Regulatory Regimes Globally
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ECCC Member
Company
Harvard Hall
3:00 – 3:10 PM
10 min
Modern Oral Nicotine in Moist Smokeless Form
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Black Buffalo Inc. has created a novel smokeless tobacco alternative for adult consumers by using a specifically grown variety of edible leafy greens in lieu of tobacco plant material. Black Buffalo’s product set emulates the ritual and tradition associated with moist smokeless tobacco, including long cut and pouches forms, as well as traditional (straight) and flavored varieties (wintergreen, mint, blood orange and peach). While white powdered nicotine pouches have gained much of the attention in the marketplace, Black Buffalo’s brand and product set are anchored in the thesis that millions of adult consumers of traditional products are seeking an alternative product closer to their own traditional products, just without the tobacco plant material.
Matthew Hanson, CFA,
Chief Growth Officer,
Black
Buffalo Inc.
Harvard Hall
3:10 – 3:20 PM
10 min
Is There a Youth Access & Use Problem in Oral Nicotine?
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Martin Steinbauer,
Chief Engineer &
Co-founder, SMOOD
Harvard Hall
3:20 – 3:25 PM
5 min
Eliminating Heavy Metals & Nitrosamines from Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRTs) & Reduced Risk Products (RRPs)
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Dr. William Jackson,
Scientific Expert,
Zanoprima
Lifesciences
Harvard Hall
3:25 –3:55 PM
30 min
Panel: An Evolving Legal, Patent, & Regulatory Landscape
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Panelists:
Azim Chowdhury
(Keller & Heckman)
Agustin Rodriguez
(Troutman Pepper)
Jeannie Cameron
(JCIC International)

Moderator:
Tony Abboud
Harvard Hall

SESSION V: Investments to Achieve Public Health Impact
3:55 PM – 5:00 PM EDT | Moderated by Erika Karp


4:00 – 4:10 PM
10 min
The Transition to Lower Risk Nicotine Products: Progress, Impediments & Accelerators
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In a number of countries, a significant share of nicotine product consumers are nowusing lower risk, non-combustible products. At a global level, however, less than 5%have made the switch away from cigarettes due to a lack of access to these betterproducts. What can governments and business do to accelerate the transition?
Huub Savelkouls,
Founder & Owner,
Scope3plus
Consulting Sarl
Harvard Hall
4:10 – 4:20 PM
10 min
Investment Analysts’ Roles & Perspectives in Accelerating THR Progress
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In a number of countries, a significant share of nicotine product consumers are nowusing lower risk, non-combustible products. At a global level, however, less than 5%have made the switch away from cigarettes due to a lack of access to these betterproducts. What can governments and business do to accelerate the transition?
To be announced
Harvard Hall
4:20 – 4:30 PM
10 min
The NJOY Journey – What is Needed to Scale Global Progress?
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Doug Teitelbaum,
Founder, Homewood Capital / Executive Chairman NJOY
Harvard Hall
4:30 – 5:00 PM
30 min
Panel: Category-Defining Innovation – What’s on the Horizon?
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Panelists:
Huub Savelkouls
Doug Teitelbaum
TBA

Moderator:
Erika Karp
Harvard Hall
5:00 – 5:10 PM
10 min
Closing Remarks: Looking Forward
Dr. Derek Yach
Harvard Hall
5:30 – 7:00 PM
1.5 hours
Networking Reception – Cambridge Room (Floor 2)
Open Bar and Passed Hors d’oeuvres
Harvard Hall
Register Here

2025 Sponsors

We extend a special thanks to the following organizations for their support in bringing this year’s programming and networking sessions to you.
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Inter Scientific is an independently owned, UKAS-accredited Contract Research Organisation offering regulatory consultancy and analytical testing globally. With almost a decade of experience, Inter Scientific provides a single-point product-compliance solution across various regulated industries, including nicotine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical devices, and novel foods. Committed to clients, personnel, and the environment, Inter Scientific aims to be a world-class leader in regulatory advice and analytical services, uniquely positioned to unlock global markets for its clients.
Learn more
Inter Scientific is an independently owned, UKAS-accredited Contract Research Organisation offering regulatory consultancy and analytical testing globally. With almost a decade of experience, Inter Scientific provides a single-point product-compliance solution across various regulated industries, including nicotine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical devices, and novel foods. Committed to clients, personnel, and the environment, Inter Scientific aims to be a world-class leader in regulatory advice and analytical services, uniquely positioned to unlock global markets for its clients.
Learn more
Ventus Medical is a medical device and drug development company focused on inhalation products. Ventus Medical has developed ENHALE, an approved Class IIa medical device, which is currently undergoing regulatory review by the MHRA and is in the process of being submitted across the EU for European authorisation.  
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SMOOD® for a cleaner, smoother nicotine experience without tobacco. SMOOD is a consumer hardware and vaporizer company built with advanced technology including youth access prevention, IoT-enabled devices, and sustainability programs. Developed by MIT and Harvard medical engineers, SMOOD is transforming the sector by focusing on innovation, sustainability, safety, and reliability.
Learn more
Zanoprima is a manufacturer of S-nicotine. The company has developed a novel enzymatic process for the production utilizing “green chemistry”, yielding a significant carbon emission reduction and other ESG benefits when compared to plant extraction.  These processes are subject to granted patents in over 40 countries. Zanoprima supports manufacturers in regulatory submissions, through a Drug Master File (DMF) and Tobacco Product Master File (TPMF) on file with the US Food and Drug Administration. Further, Zanoprima has developed improved reduced risk nicotine products using this high purity S-nicotine, including next generation Nicotine Replacement Therapies, with patents granted for novel vaping and oral products.
Learn more
The Electronic Cigarette Professional Committee of the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce (short for ECCC) was established in Shenzhen in January 2017. As one of the professional committees of the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce, it operates independently as the only vaping industry association in China. With a membership of over 1000 companies, the ECCC is committed to global cooperation with regulatory agencies and further the ethical development of the electronic cigarette industry.
REGISTER HERE

Venue:
Harvard Club of New York City

35 West 44th Street New York NY
The annual 2025 New Approaches Conference on September 22nd will take place at The Harvard Club of New York City, conveniently located a few avenues from the United Nations Headquarters. Sign in at the registration desk with your ticket confirmation to collect your badge and head to the main hall.

Photos from the 2022 event

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Photos from 2024 event

About the Summit

The New Approaches conference was founded as a collaboration between public health professionals, tobacco control advocates, public policy experts, and technology innovators working on cutting-edge research and commercialization of technologies and policies that aim to end smoking.

New Approaches is an independent global forum on science and policy, held annually during United Nations General Assembly week and adjacent to Climate week in New York City. As a neutral convener, New Approaches hosts programming created by summit chairs and speakers from diverse backgrounds. Views and statements by speakers are their own, and diverse perspectives are encouraged. The Summit is open to all stakeholders committed to ending smoking and achieving public health impact.

In alignment with Article 5.3 of the WHO tobacco treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), this event maintains complete independence and receives no funding or interference from tobacco industries. However, the event remains open to all participants, fostering inclusive dialogue.
Press and General Inquiries Contact
Events@NewApproaches.NYC
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