For more than 20 years, IEc has provided analytic support to government agencies charged with reducing the adverse impacts of tobacco use on public health. Our work in this area is shaped by detailed understanding of the massive public health burden attributable to smoking and other forms of tobacco consumption. It is also guided by an appreciation of the challenges our clients face in formulating policies that help current tobacco users quit and discourage young people from experimenting with potentially addictive tobacco products. These challenges are particularly acute in regulating the marketing of newly developed sources of nicotine, from vaping to nicotine pouches. These products offer cigarette users potentially less harmful alternatives to smoking and may help some people quit. At the same time, they may prove attractive to young people who would not otherwise become nicotine users, leading to health impacts that, at present, are poorly understood.

In the face of these challenges, IEc strives to help regulators gauge the potential costs and benefits of alternative approaches to tobacco control, as informed by a thorough understanding of tobacco market dynamics and the latest research on the health consequences of different forms of tobacco use. Our approach to these assessments includes development and application of rigorous methods to characterize the potential impacts of regulatory standards on the use of alternative products, as well as methods to quantify and value the health benefits of potential reductions in tobacco use. We also work closely with our clients to ensure that they understand the data and assumptions that provide the foundation for our analysis, as well as the sensitivity of our findings to underlying uncertainties.