In this episode of the World Nicotine Congress podcast, host Elise Rasmussen speaks with Tim Phillips, founder of Tamarind Intelligence, a global independent market and regulatory intelligence service providing data for businesses operating in fast-moving consumer sectors facing regulatory change, including vape, cannabis and tobacco alternatives.

The conversation centres on Tamarind Intelligence's latest MEP survey, which reveals a deepening ideological divide among European Parliament members on novel nicotine products, with awareness growing but so too the proportion of MEPs who consider these products more harmful than smoking. Tim and Elise explore what this means for the upcoming revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive, the role of independent data in shaping sound regulation, and why the gap between public perception and scientific evidence continues to widen.

They also discuss the FDA's recent authorisation of flavoured vape products in the US, the political dynamics surrounding that decision, and what it may or may not signal for the future of the American market. The episode also touches on the EU's public consultation to revise the Tobacco Products Directive, the tension between countries taking opposing approaches to harm reduction regulation, and the challenge of future-proofing rules for an industry evolving rapidly.

The episode closes with Tim's global outlook, reflecting on emerging markets from Argentina to the Middle East, and his assessment of where the nicotine sector is headed over the next five to ten years.