Cigarettes with ultralow nicotine levels are now being called the game-changer in the fight against smoking. If you are having trouble in quitting smoking, then, it is for you, that soon the Biden White House is expected to formally propose a plan that will order cigarette nicotine levels to be reduced, reports The Washington Post. For now though, it has been a failure, as these cigarettes, also known as VLN cigarettes that stands for very low nicotine are only available in 5,100 stores in 26 states. This is a very small fraction of the overall market for cigarettes. The company that makes it, 22nd Century, is struggling not because of the low supply, but also from the advocates who have long believed slashing nicotine levels altogether.

The Advent and ideation

Nicotine is a chemical that is produced naturally from tobacco that makes the cigarette and also keeps people hooked. While it is believed that it makes people alert, and get the "hit" to keep them going, it exposes the users to harmful substances, carcinogens, and increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and other illness.

Ultralow-nicotine cigarettes, like the VLN brand, contain about 95% less nicotine than the regular cigarettes. The idea is quite simple: without the addictive grip of nicotine, smokers will find it easier to quit. Research too has shown some promise. For instance, the studies funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse revealed that very low nicotine cigarettes reduced addiction potential significantly without having users to increase their smoking frequency. However, the problem is, why would anyone choose for a low-nicotine that does not make them feel the same way, when the high-nicotine cigarette is right next to it, making them feel the same way, with the same alertness, sold at the same price.

“It’s very hard to imagine someone actively choosing to continue to use a low-nicotine product for the same price when a high-nicotine product is right next to it,” said Eric Donny, a Wake Forest University School of Medicine nicotine researcher.

No wonder, the experiment with low nicotine product by Philip Morris' Next cigarettes in the 1980s and Vector Tobacco's Quest brand in the early 2000s, flopped.

FDA's Role in the Push

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has supported the development of such products, even allowing VLN cigarettes to be marketed as lower-risk options. However, these products remain a niche market, available in only a fraction of U.S. stores.

Recently, the Biden administration has considered a bold step—mandating a dramatic reduction in nicotine levels for all cigarettes sold in the United States. Supporters believe this move could save millions of lives, while critics, including tobacco companies, warn of potential unintended consequences.

What Could Be The Challenges?

Resistance from Big Tobacco Companies: They could argue that slashing nicotine levels could backfire. Their claim is, smokers will turn to black markets or smoke more to satisfy their cravings, which may lead to greater exposure to harmful substances.

Consumer Reluctance: History is proof to the instances of smokers being hesitant to embrace the low-nicotine products.

Political Hurdle: It may face political roadblocks, as under the Trump administration, plans to cut nicotine were shelved.

Could Low-Nicotine Cigarettes Be The Solution?

Advocates believe that ultralow-nicotine cigarettes could be a game-changer, comparing them to decaf coffee or non-alcoholic beer—products that reduce harm while offering a similar experience.

Some experts warn that a black market for traditional cigarettes could undermine these efforts. They also stress the need for safer alternatives, such as vaping products, to support smokers transitioning away from traditional cigarettes.

China has issued a plague-risk alert following the suspected plague-related death of a 28-year-old researcher at a laboratory in Irkutsk, Siberia. However, Russia maintains that no plague outbreak has occurred.

According to state-run newspaper Global Times, the Hulunbuir Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region issued a plague-prevention notice on Sunday. Hulunbuir shares a border with Russia.

The advisory cited international attention surrounding the Russian case and the region's history of natural plague activity, while noting that the cause of the researcher's death has not been officially confirmed.

The Hulunbuir CDC said the city last recorded human plague cases in 1927. Routine surveillance in recent years has also detected no plague outbreaks among local rodent populations. Based on its risk assessment, the likelihood of a local outbreak remains low.

What Did Hulunbuir CDC Advise?

Also read: The Black Death Bacterium Still Exists: From Medieval Europe To Modern-Day Outbreaks

The authority advised people arriving from plague-endemic areas in Russia's Far East to monitor their health and seek prompt medical attention if they develop suspected symptoms. Travelers should disclose their travel history to facilitate diagnosis and treatment.

Residents were also urged to follow preventive measures, including routine health monitoring, environmental disinfection and prompt reporting of suspected symptoms.

Earlier, Hunan province, which does not border Russia, also released recommendations on plague symptoms and prevention.

What Happened In Russia?

Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old researcher at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Irkutsk, was hospitalized with severe pneumonia on September 29 and died on October 2, according to media reports.

Reports raised concerns about possible pneumonic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis. However, Russian authorities have said that tests did not detect plague or other dangerous pathogens.

On October 8, regional governor Igor Kobzev said quarantine measures and medical monitoring of contacts had been completed. Nearly 5,000 laboratory tests had found no dangerous pathogenic microorganisms, according to reports.

What Has The WHO Said?

Read More: Russia Plague Scare: WHO Reiterates Biosafety Rules Despite No Confirmed Lab Accident

The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a Disease Outbreak News update published on October 10 that the overall public health risk remained low, based on the information available.

The agency found no evidence of ongoing transmission of pneumonic plague linked to the incident. However, the cause of the researcher's fatal pneumonia remains unexplained.

The WHO noted that the absence of a confirmed diagnosis remained a key uncertainty. Given the researcher's employment at an institution handling high-risk pathogens, the agency said a laboratory-associated exposure could not be fully excluded.

Which Other Countries Are Taking Precautions?

Several countries have reportedly strengthened border surveillance and public-health precautions following the Russian case.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have announced measures to prevent the potential introduction of highly dangerous infectious diseases, according to regional reports and official statements.

Kyrgyzstan's Health Ministry said border checkpoints had been placed on heightened alert. Sanitary and epidemiological surveillance covers people, vehicles and cargo crossing the country's borders to prevent the entry and spread of infectious diseases.

Uzbekistan's Sanitary-Epidemiological Committee also announced enhanced preparedness among relevant services to prevent the entry and spread of highly dangerous infectious diseases.

READ: Russia Plague Scare: Could It Trigger A New Pandemic? Experts Explain

European Union And United States

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is monitoring the situation. According to its assessment, the limited information available indicates no reported secondary cases and no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission that could drive further spread.

US officials are also monitoring the case. CDC Director Erica Schwartz said the agency was prepared to monitor and screen travelers.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was watching reports of possible plague but that the situation was not a “cause for alarm.”

“We're watching and monitoring it closely. I don't think it's cause for alarm – but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it. And we're doing that,” Rubio said.

Climate change, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and obesity are among 17 threats that could cause massive losses of healthy life by 2100, according to a new report by The Lancet Commission on 21st Century Global Threats to Health.

Launched at the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin, the report draws on risk analysis across 204 countries and territories to identify threats that could have catastrophic consequences for global health.

“Humanity still has the agency to act,” said Commission co-chair Professor Christopher JL Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, warning that delays would increase future costs.

What Are The 17 Global Health Threats?

Also read: Over 2 Hours of Daily Screen Time Linked to Depression, Obesity In Young People: Lancet

The Commission classified a threat as catastrophic if it could account for at least one billion disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by 2100, could be modelled using available data and offered scope for policy intervention.

DALYs measure healthy years lost to illness, disability or premature death.

The 17 threats are:

1. Obesity
2. Low educational attainment
3. Income inequality
4. Malicious use of artificial intelligence (AI)
5. Nuclear conflict
6. Poor mental health
7. Unhealthy ageing
8. Smoking
9. Conventional conflict
10. High blood pressure
11. Antimicrobial resistance
12. High alcohol use
13. Pandemics
14. Climate change
15. Air pollution
16. Collapse of development assistance for health
17. Childhood malnutrition

These estimates reflect potential health losses that interventions could avert, not the urgency or priority of each threat. Risks with lower estimated burdens may still require urgent action because of their potential consequences.

“The estimates highlight how much health loss could be avoided in each area,” Murray said, noting that the threats are interconnected and must be addressed together rather than in isolation.

Obesity Could Cost 23.1 Billion Healthy Life-Years

Obesity represents the largest estimated burden of potentially avoidable health loss among the 17 threats, with 23.1 billion DALYs projected between 2025 and 2100 under the Commission's assessment.

The obesity risks linked high body mass index, poor diet and physical inactivity.

Other estimates include 16.1 billion DALYs associated with low educational attainment, 13.8 billion with income inequality, 10.4 billion with malicious use of AI and 9.4 billion with nuclear conflict.

Climate Change Could Cost Billions Of Healthy Life-Years

Read More: WHO Cautions Against GLP-1s As First-Line Treatment For Childhood Obesity, Prioritises Lifestyle Changes

Limiting global warming to around 1.8°C, rather than allowing it to reach 4.4°C, could prevent an estimated 1.89 billion healthy life-years from being lost to causes including extreme heat and air pollution.

The estimate excludes some harder-to-measure impacts, such as displacement, drought, economic disruption and mental health problems, meaning the overall burden could be greater. Without substantial emissions cuts, climate-related health losses could accumulate beyond 2100 and worsen other global health threats.

“This Lancet Commission offers a radical conceptual shift in the way we think about future threats to human survival,” said Dr Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet, calling for coordinated action across sectors.

The Commission's Call To Action

The Commission calls for sustained investment, stronger preparedness and regular risk monitoring. It urges governments and other stakeholders to coordinate action across sectors to reduce preventable health losses.

The report brings together 35 commissioners from health, economics, security, governance and technology to assess threats to global health over 2025–2100.

Damaged knee cartilage is often addressed with painkillers or knee replacement surgery. But scientists may have found a way to regenerate it by blocking a protein linked with ageing. The study has sparked hope for future treatments that could repair joints without painkillers or surgery.

In a study by Stanford Medicine researchers, an experimental drug restored mice cartilage that had worn down with age. It also helped prevent osteoarthritis after knee injuries resembling anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. Human cartilage samples exposed to the treatment also showed signs of regeneration in laboratory experiments.

The findings offer a new strategy for treating osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease in which the protective tissue at the ends of bones gradually breaks down. However, it has not yet been proven and approved to regenerate cartilage in humans.

How Did Scientists Regrow Knee Cartilage?

The researchers focused on a protein called 15-PGDH, which increases with age and contributes to the loss of tissue function. The researchers describe it as a gerozyme, an enzyme linked with changes in the body related to ageing.

The researchers found that levels of 15-PGDH in knee cartilage roughly doubled with age. Then they treated older mice with a small molecule that could inhibit the protein, administering it either throughout the body or directly into the knee joint.

In both experiments, cartilage that had become thinner and barely functional grew thicker across the joint surface. Researchers also confirmed that the regenerated tissue was hyaline cartilage, the smooth, resilient type that is needed for normal joint function.

“Cartilage regeneration to such an extent in aged mice took us by surprise,” Nidhi Bhutani, PhD, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery, and one of the authors said. “The effect was remarkable.”

The researchers also found that the treatment changed the activity of existing cartilage cells, called chondrocytes. Rather than relying on stem cells to create new tissue, these cells shifted towards a more youthful pattern of gene activity associated with cartilage formation and maintenance.

"This is a new way of regenerating adult tissue, and it has significant clinical promise for treating arthritis due to aging or injury,” said Helen Blau, professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford Medicine. “We were looking for stem cells, but they are clearly not involved. It's very exciting."

Also read: Joint Pain In Your 30s And 40s: When Should You Worry?

Promise In Arthritis Prevention After A Knee Injury

The researchers also tested the drug in mice with knee injuries similar to ACL tears. These injuries are common among those who play sports that involve stopping, jumping or changing direction suddenly. Those who suffer ACL tears are more likely at the risk of developing osteoarthritis years later.

In the experiment, mice that received the inhibitor twice a week for four weeks after injury were much less likely to develop osteoarthritis. They also moved more normally and placed more weight on the injured leg.

The findings are worth noting as repairing an injured ligament does not always prevent long-term cartilage damage. A treatment that protects cartilage after an injury could help reduce the risk of post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

“Interestingly, prostaglandin E2 has been implicated in inflammation and pain,” Blau said. “But this research shows that, at normal biological levels, small increases in prostaglandin E2 can promote regeneration.”

Also read: Lifestyle Modifications For Arthritis: A Guide For Health Care Providers

Findings Related To Human Cartilage

To investigate whether this might also work in people, the team treated cartilage samples collected from patients undergoing knee replacement surgery. After one week, the treated tissue showed changes in gene activity linked with reduced cartilage degradation and increased formation of healthy articular cartilage. The findings suggest that cartilage cells in people with osteoarthritis may still have some capacity for repair.

“The mechanism is quite striking and really shifted our perspective about how tissue regeneration can occur,” Bhutani said. “It's clear that a large pool of already existing cells in cartilage are changing their gene expression patterns. And by targeting these cells for regeneration, we may have an opportunity to have a bigger overall impact clinically.”

Impact In Osteoarthritis Treatment

Osteoarthritis can cause persistent pain, stiffness and difficulty walking. Existing treatments simply aim to manage symptoms and preserve mobility through exercise, physiotherapy, medicines and, in severe cases, joint replacement.

There is currently no established drug that reverses cartilage loss caused by osteoarthritis. A treatment that genuinely restores functional cartilage could therefore change how the disease is managed, allowing some patients to delay or avoid surgery.

But these findings are an early step, not evidence that knee replacements can already be avoided. Researchers must ascertain safety and effectiveness in human clinical trials before the treatment can be considered.