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.

Noida administration has launched a 10-day measles-rubella (MMR) vaccination drive with an aim to cover students from Classes 1 to 5 across government and private schools. UP State Health Department officials noted that the sessions are also being conducted within the school premises under this campaign to ensure a wider vaccination coverage and ease of access for students and parents.

The initiative is part of the state government's ongoing efforts to strengthen immunity against measles and rubella. It is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects children.

Under the Measles-Rubella elimination campaign, the Central government aims to reach 100 per cent immunization coverage by ensuring children receive both doses of the vaccine. According to the 2024–25 Health Management Information System, India’s MMR coverage is currently 93.7 per cent for the first dose and 92.2 per cent for the second.

“The objective is to ensure that no eligible child is left out. Children will be administered an additional dose of the MR vaccine during the campaign. The vaccine is safe and is being provided for free of cost,” Dr Narendra Kumar, Chief Medical Officer of Gautam Buddha Nagar, told the media persons.

What Is Measles?

Measles is a highly contagious disease. It spreads by coughs or sneezes or by touching things that someone with measles has coughed or sneezed on.

Measles, also known as rubeola, is an extremely contagious viral illness that typically causes high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and a characteristic rash that begins on the face and spreads downward across the body. It spreads through respiratory droplets and can lead to severe and sometimes fatal complications, including pneumonia and inflammation of the brain known as encephalitis.

Symptoms include high fever, sore or red and watery eyes, coughing, sneezing, and small white spots in the mouth.

What Are The Symptoms Of Measles

Measles has a high transmissibility, and high measles immunity levels are required to prevent sustained measles virus transmission.

This is why herd immunity for measles could be easily breached.

It easily spreads from one infected person to another through breathes, coughs or sneezes and could cause severe disease, complications, and even death.

Symptoms include:

• High fever
• Cough
• Runny Nose
• Rash all over the body

The most unique symptom or the early sign of measles in the Koplik spots. These are tiny white dots that look like grains of salt on red gums inside the cheeks that appear before the red rash starts to appear on a person's face and then the body.

Read: Measles Outbreak In UK: Virus Spreads Among Unvaccinated Children In London

Furthermore, the symptoms of measles are also characterized by the three Cs:

• Cough
• Coryza or runny nose
• Conjunctivitis or red and water eyes

How Long Does The Infection Last?

The progression of the symptom comes in two stages, first is the prodromal stage or Days 1 to 4, where one would notice high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, sore throat, fatigue, and Koplik spots.

The second stage is called the rash stage or the days 5 to 10 or even more where rash start to appear on the hairline, and then it runs down the body. It lasts for several days and fades in the same order.

The first symptoms, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), appear 7 to 14 days after a measles infection. Often, it could also lead to ear infection, or even diarrhea. Though these complications happen in every 1 in 10 children or individual with measles.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new guidance urging veterinary drug makers to define the duration of antibiotic use in livestock.

The February 2026 guidance, published by the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), aims to mitigate the development of antimicrobial resistance and protect public health. It is consistent with previous recommendations by the federal agency that promoted the judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in animals.

The FDA said that the guidance is intended for sponsors of approved new animal drug applications (NADAs) and abbreviated new animal drug applications (ANADAs) containing antimicrobial drugs.

The guidance provides recommendations on how to add duration limits to medically important antibiotics used in or on the medicated feed of food-producing animals.

"The framework outlined in this guidance is intended to facilitate voluntary changes to have all medically important antimicrobial new animal drugs administered in alignment with the principles of judicious use,” the FDA said.

"This guidance provides specific recommendations on how sponsors may facilitate changes to the approved conditions of use of affected products in support of ongoing efforts to mitigate the development of antimicrobial resistance,” it added.

The New FDA Recommendations

Currently, no limit has been set for the approved treatment in food-producing animals. As a result, farmers can use the antibiotics in animal feed for extended periods of time.

The proposed guidelines for “appropriately defined duration of use” labelling will ensure that the drug is used only when animals need it.

The regulator also called the industry to “revise the labeling to include appropriate criteria regarding when to begin and end feeding of the antimicrobial drug.”

The nonbinding guidance also suggests sponsors avoid instructions like “feed until market weight” to define the duration of use.

"The scope of this guidance is limited to those drugs that are approved for use in or on animal feed because all the approved uses of medically important antimicrobial drugs in other (non-feed) dosage forms already have appropriately defined durations of use," the FDA said.

Why Misuse of Antibiotics In Animals Is A Concern

Antibiotic use in livestock and poultry globally is intended to treat, control, and prevent bacterial infections.

However, their overuse and misuse in food-animal production threaten both animal and human health. It is because these promote the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR in livestock is a major driver of the 700,000 to over 1 million annual human deaths linked to drug-resistant infections globally.

With roughly 70 per cent of global antibiotics used in agriculture, this misuse contributes to food-borne resistant pathogens and is projected to drive up to 10 million annual human deaths by 2050, as per the World Organisation for Animal Health.

FDA On Antibiotic Use In Livestock

The 2017 guidance issued by the FDA limited the over-the-counter use of medically important antibiotics on livestock.

It also required a prescription and veterinary oversight for all antibiotic use.

Later in 2018, the CVM called for all antibiotics used in the feed and drinking water of food -producing animals to have “an appropriately targeted duration of use”.

A shortage of prescription-strength co-codamol is set to continue until at least June, leaving thousands of chronic pain patients across the UK uncertain about how they will manage daily symptoms. The Scottish government has confirmed limited availability of the strongest 30/500mg tablets, while health boards warn alternative medicines may not fully cover demand.

The shortage is linked to delays in authorization by the Indian government for exporting key codeine-based ingredients needed to manufacture the drug.

Patients Told To Taper Use

Many patients say they first learned of the disruption through calls from local health services. Some have already been advised to slowly reduce their dose to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Jocelin Harrison, who has relied on the medication for more than three decades after five spinal surgeries, said she was contacted by NHS Lanarkshire and instructed to cut down gradually.

“The only advice I’ve been given so far was to reduce the tablets and try to manage my withdrawal symptoms,” she said, as reported by the BBC.

“I was not offered any other advice or possible replacement pain killers and it’s a great worry for me and other chronic pain sufferers throughout Scotland and the UK.”

Doctors warn that abruptly stopping co-codamol can trigger headaches, nausea, sweating and a sudden increase in pain, particularly for long-term users.

Why Does This Drug Matter So Much?

Co-codamol combines paracetamol with the opioid codeine and is commonly prescribed after surgery or for persistent musculoskeletal conditions. It comes in three strengths: 8mg, 15mg and 30mg of codeine with 500mg paracetamol.

The lowest strength is available over the counter, but the stronger forms require a prescription and are widely used by patients with chronic pain. Because codeine can cause dependence, tapering rather than stopping suddenly is considered essential.

Health boards say supplies of alternative strengths are also limited, making it difficult to simply switch everyone onto another version.

Guidance issued locally states patients, except those undergoing cancer treatment, should gradually reduce usage until stopping completely. No new patients will be started on the medication until supplies stabilize.

What Are The Alternatives?

NHS Grampian has urged pharmacists to prioritize existing stock carefully. However, it stopped short of telling patients to immediately begin cutting back, highlighting variation in local guidance.

Officials acknowledge substitutes exist, but warn they cannot meet the expected rise in demand from patients switching medicines.

Authorities Now Work On Solution

Scotland’s chief pharmaceutical officer Alison Strath said the issue ultimately sits with UK-wide medicine supply systems but confirmed discussions are ongoing.

“Supply issues are expected until June 2026 and we are in regular contact with the UK government to seek assurances they are doing all they can to resolve this,” she said, adding that affected patients will be contacted directly about alternative treatment options.

The UK Department of Health and Social Care said most medicines remain readily available and manufacturers are working to restore production.

The shortage highlights the global nature of generic drug manufacturing. Medicines such as co-codamol 30/500mg are typically produced using ingredients sourced from India and China, meaning regulatory or production delays overseas can quickly affect patients at home.

For now, patients are being urged not to contact GP practices unless advised and to wait for further instructions from their health providers.