How should we think about nicotine addiction? | THR Unfiltered

Can we rethink nicotine addiction? Is the word "addiction" helping—or hurting—the conversation? In this episode of THR Unfiltered, recorded during the Global Forum on Nicotine 2026 #GFN26 we speak with behavioral scientist Dr. Arielle Selya about the science behind nicotine dependence, addiction, and tobacco harm reduction. The discussion explores why researchers often prefer the term "dependence" over "addiction," how these concepts differ in scientific and clinical contexts, and why language matters when discussing people who use nicotine.