Why Prohibition Is Failing Public Health? | GFN Voices 2026

Despite decades of prohibition, smoking remains one of the leading preventable causes of disease and death worldwide. So why do policies that restrict safer alternatives often fail to improve public health? Leading experts examine the unintended consequences of prohibition, arguing that banning lower-risk nicotine products does not eliminate demand—it simply shifts consumers toward illicit markets and more harmful products. Drawing on real-world examples from countries including Brazil, Mexico and the United States, they discuss how restrictive policies can undermine public health objectives, fuel illegal trade, and make product regulation more difficult.