Jacob Grier is a writer and journalist covering tobacco policy. His work has appeared in Reason, Slate, The Atlantic, and many other publications, and he is the author of two related books: The New Prohibition: The Dangerous Politics of Tobacco Control and The Rediscovery of Tobacco: Smoking, Vaping, and the Creative Destruction of the Cigarette. With nearly two decades on the beat, his coverage spans smoking bans, harm reduction, innovation, and the unintended consequences of prohibition. He is also the founder of the link-sharing app Seabird. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
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GFN News #189 | How the UK Tobacco Bill Punishes Smokers Trying to Quit?
22 May 2026
Is the UK’s "smoke-free generation" plan destined to backfire?
In this episode of GFN News, host Zuzanna Kopacz sits down with author and freelance writer Jacob Grier to unpack the practical realities and hidden dangers of the newly passed UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
While the policy aims to create a smoke-free generation by phasing out legal tobacco sales for anyone born after 2009, Grier argues that the legislation ignores the needs of current smokers. Worse yet, by introducing sweeping bans on vape advertising and targeting alternative nicotine flavors, the bill threatens to shut down the very pathways that help smokers successfully switch to lower-risk harm reduction products.