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.

A weight-loss doctor has issued an urgent alert as people desperate to shed pounds turn to illegal “Godzilla” fat jabs circulating on social media—some of which have been traced back to counterfeit factories and unregulated online sellers. With the party season approaching, pressure grows to look slimmer for family photos, office events and festive gatherings.

Experts warn that this rush is pushing people toward fake versions of retatrutide, a powerful triple-hormone drug still in clinical trials and not approved anywhere in the world. Recent reports from the UK revealed that more than £250,000 worth of counterfeit weight-loss pens labelled as tirzepatide and retatrutide were seized from a covert Northampton factory.

Retatrutide Warning: Experts Flag Rise of Fake Weight-Loss Jabs

Authorities caution that social media has become a “wild west” for buyers chasing dramatic pre-Christmas results. Professor Franklin Joseph, founder of Dr Frank’s Weight Loss Clinic, explains that seasonal pressure combined with unrealistic expectations is driving some toward dangerous, unregulated products. “This is the time of year when people panic."

Professor Joseph said. “They want to show up on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve looking slimmer, and viral posts convince them there’s a quick fix. But these so-called ‘Godzilla jabs’ being sold online are fake, untested and potentially dangerous.”

What Is A Godzilla Jab?

The term "Godzilla jabs" is a nickname for retatrutide, a potent experimental weight-loss drug still undergoing clinical trials. It is not approved for human use, and regulators have warned against purchasing counterfeit black-market versions.

Retatrutide: Why Are Experts Giving Warning?

Retatrutide, also referred to as the “Godzilla” or “Triple-G” jab due to early trials showing significant weight loss is still strictly experimental. Despite this, counterfeit versions are circulating through online stores, social media channels, Telegram groups and private accounts, often with no medical supervision, no quality control and no legal oversight.

Professor Joseph notes that the festive season makes the risk even greater. “December is a perfect storm,” he said. “People have one event after another, clothes feel tighter, and family members they haven’t seen all year are coming together. Then an influencer tells them they can lose a stone in a month. It’s an illusion—and scammers know exactly how to exploit it.”

Dangers of Fake Retatrutide

Fake jabs may contain:

• Incorrect doses
• No active ingredient at all
• Contaminated mixtures
• Completely different drugs, including insulin, which can trigger dangerous hypoglycaemia

Authorities have repeatedly stressed that buying unlicensed medicines online is not only illegal but can also carry severe health risks. “Most people think the worst that could happen is the jab won’t work,” Professor Joseph said. “But the real danger is what’s actually inside that pen.”

Scientists anticipate that the results from ongoing clinical trials will be available next year, after which they plan to seek formal medical approval. Meanwhile, organised crime groups are increasingly turning to selling illicit medicines online, sometimes as an alternative to traditional street drugs like cocaine. Purchasing these medications without a proper prescription or guidance from a qualified doctor greatly raises the risk of side effects and serious health complications.

Weight-loss injections are carefully tailored to each patient’s body size and medical condition. Taking an excessive or unmonitored dose can be extremely dangerous.

President Trump recently underwent “advanced imaging” of his abdomen and cardiovascular system as a preventive step, according to the White House. This update came on Monday, a day after the president admitted to reporters that he wasn’t sure which areas the MRI had covered during his October physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. On Sunday, he mentioned that the scan had nothing to do with his brain and that the results were “perfect,” though he still did not know what had been examined. The White House has now shared a detailed memo offering a clearer picture of the president’s health status.

Trump's MRI Results Released By White House

US President Donald Trump is said to be in “excellent overall health” after completing a “comprehensive executive physical,” according to his White House physician. Captain Sean Barbabella issued a memo on Monday noting that the advanced imaging performed on the 79-year-old president’s heart and abdomen showed “perfectly normal” findings.

As per BBC, he explained that the MRI was carried out during Trump’s October physical because men in his age range benefit from a closer review of their cardiovascular and abdominal health. The update arrives as Democrats, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have continued to ask for the scan results, pointing to concerns about the president’s age as he enters another term.

At Monday’s briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read the physician’s memo in full. She said the administration wanted to be open about the findings. “The president said last night that the results would be released, and they are now available,” she added.

Trump MRI Results: No Abnormalities In Trump's Heart

According to the memo shared by the White House, Barbabella reported no signs of arterial narrowing that would restrict blood flow, nor any irregularities in the president’s heart or major blood vessels. He wrote that Trump’s cardiovascular system “shows excellent health.” The doctor, a US Navy emergency physician with service experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, also said the abdominal imaging revealed that “everything evaluated is functioning within normal limits with no acute or chronic concerns.” He described the MRI as a routine part of an “executive physical” for someone Trump’s age. Earlier, the White House had avoided commenting on why an MRI was included in the October exam or specifying which part of the body had been scanned.

For context, Trump completed his annual physical in April. When he spoke in October, he mentioned that he received an MRI at Walter Reed during a visit that the White House said fell under his “routine yearly checkup.” At the time, Trump stated the results were “perfect.” In the memo, Barbabella said the MRI was done as a preventive measure “to identify issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure he maintains long-term vitality and function.”

Trump MRI Results: What Health Diagnosis Has Donald Trump Been Diagnosed With?

Donald Trump has also been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a condition in which veins in the legs struggle to push blood back toward the heart. The White House confirmed the diagnosis after he sought medical advice for mild ankle swelling. CVI is fairly common, especially among older adults, and can lead to symptoms such as swelling, discomfort, and aching in the legs.

What Is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?

According to the Mayo Clinic, chronic venous insufficiency occurs when the valves inside the leg veins, which normally stop blood from flowing backward, become weakened or damaged. This allows blood to collect in the legs and increases pressure within the veins. Typical symptoms include swelling, heaviness or aching in the legs, and changes in skin colour. The condition is more likely in people who are older, have a family history of CVI, remain seated or standing for long periods, or have a higher body weight.

Delhi's pollution continues to worsen, and every day, there is new data on its AQI levels, suggesting the conditions Delhiites are living in, unable to breathe, go out, and much more. In fact, 60.3% of Delhi-NCR residents have sought pollution-related medical assistance last year, showed a survey by SmyttenPulseAI. The number is severe and points towards a healthcare crisis in the making.

The survey also showed that 80% of residents reported experiencing persistent health issues, which included chronic cough, debilitating fatigue, and respiratory irritation due to polluted air.

How Was The Study Conducted?

It was a study that surveyed 4,000 residents across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad and found that 76.4% of respondents have drastically reduced outdoor time. This means they have turned their homes into the only place of solace, often like virtual prisons for families to hide from the toxic air outside.

The survey also found that 79.8% of the residents are either reconsidering their stay or have already left, with 33.6% planning their departure, while 31% are actively considering relocating, and 15.2% have already relocated.

Why the relocation? s Dr Rahul Chawla, a neurologist trained at AIIMS, who, on his Instagram, posted a video where he suggested that if people can afford, and their profession allows, they must leave Delhi for a few weeks. “Because this city has become a gas chamber,” he warned.

The survey is a reflection of the same thought, with 37% residents who have already taken concrete steps of visiting properties in nearby cities. They have enquired for schools, or have made family decisions about leaving. The preferred destination for most are: hilly areas, small towns with fewer factories, and anywhere outside Delhi-NCR that does not mean to continuous keep an eye on AQI monitor app while breathing, as reported by NDTV.

The report said pollution has added a heavy economic burden on middle-class families, with 85.3 per cent noticing higher household expenses because of it. Among them, 41.6 per cent said the financial strain has been significant.

If You Cannot Leave Delhi, Here's What You Can Do

Stay Indoors

Dr Chawla suggested that one should stay indoors as much as possible. "You can open the windows and doors only between 1 and 3pm in the day, when you feel that the sun is bright, so that the house gets proper ventilation," he said.

Why 1pm to 3pm is the only time he suggests to have exposure with air? As per a 2023 study by an air filter brand, Delhi's air pollution peaked at 9AM and gradually improved as the day progressed. On an average, Delhi sees roughly as half as much PM2.5 by 5PM. Similarly, in Kolkata, the pollution peaks at 8am and is lowered by 4PM. This is why the safest time to have any sort of air exposure is in the afternoon. Pollution levels also tend to be slightly lower in the afternoon because it is when the sun is at its peak. This heats the ground and causes warm air to rise and mix with atmosphere. This helps disperse pollutants.

He also advised against cleaning inside the house using a dry cloth, and suggested wet cloth to be in use, so that dust does not rise. "Please do not light up things inside the house like burning dhoop (incense for worship), agarbatti (incense sticks), or anything else that causes excessive smoke,” he said.

Use N95 Mask

“If there are elderly people at home, do not let them go for morning walks or evening walks, and if there are children, do not let them play in the park. Exercise at home. You can go up and down the stairs. You can do yoga. If you have a treadmill or a stationary bike at home, you can exercise with it. You can do weightlifting,” he said. However, he suggested that if going out is absolutely necessary, then one must wear N-95 mask properly before stepping out.

Air Purifier

“If you can afford an air purifier, buy one. But keep in mind that the air purifier you are buying should be appropriate for the size of your room,” the neurologist advised.

Work From Home

The neurologist also suggested that if your company permits it, seek work from home option to reduce your exposure from toxic air.