NEXT-GEN SMOKING

The smoking dilemma

As cigarette smoking declines globally, the use of alternative nicotine products is rising rapidly. E-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches, and inhaled cannabis are increasingly popular, especially among younger users, and are often seen as safer alternatives. While these products may reduce exposure to combustion-related toxicants, they are not risk-free and introduce more complex exposure patterns that challenge traditional insurance definitions of a “smoker.”

For insurers, this shift challenges traditional smoker classifications, with implications for underwriting and pricing. Binary approaches based on self-disclosure and cotinine testing no longer reflect real-world nicotine use and risk misclassification.