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.

Radiation and chemotherapy might be lifesaving for millions of children globally, but the cost of these intense therapies is much greater. Therapies like these spike the risk of infertility in adulthood — one third of men on these treatments are considered 'azoospermic' after pube—onehis means that when they ejaculate, it lacks any viable sperm. But on the bright side, a medical team at the University Hospital Brussels and the Free University of Brussels (VUB) found that they successfully restored sperm production in one such patient.

How to preserve fertility in men after chemotherapy?

In a new case study, which is now in peer review, researchers explained how they treated a male patient with no viable sperm by retransplanting his own childhood testicular tissue into his adult testicle. The anonymous patient was born with sickle cell anaemia, an inherited disease that can be managed with small chemotherapy doses or through a donated bone marrow transplant. In 2008, before the treatment, the patient's family consented to the removal of one of his testicles and had it frozen for future use. The patient was 10 years old at the time.

Later, in 2022, the patient returned to Brussels IVF at VUB hoping to become a father. However, it was found that there was no viable sperm in his testicle. He requested a transplantation of the frozen tissue. In 2025, during the trial, he underwent surgery to receive four tissue grafts within his testicle and four in his scrotum. A year later, some of these produced motile, mature sperm. However, only the parts of the testicle with the transplants held viable sperm — and these were not connected to the patient's sperm duct. The sperm, therefore, was not likely to reach his semen. Consequently, IVF was the only option for the patient to have a baby — but the silver lining was that, if he wanted a baby, it was possible.

What is sperm banking?

According to doctors, adults who undergo radiation and chemotherapy must undergo sperm banking in the conventional way. However, before puberty, patients are not fit for freezing sperm, as the body is not producing mature sperm yet. In childhood, the testicles contain spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) — these have the potential to become sperm later. Freezing this tissue could be a way to preserve fertility in younger patients who are prone to infertility.

The University Hospital Brussels became the first-ever hospital to introduce this practice in 2022. Years later, other hospitals followed suit and offered cryopreservation for over 3,000 boys globally. The samples collected were banked for future studies and research to determine whether the approach is, in fact, viable or not. For many patients, it is the only way to restore existing fertility. Although a single patient is not enough to prove that the procedure works, the Brussels story offers hope for men dealing with infertility.

Is there a downside?

Animal studies have found that the grafts have a shorter lifespan. However, how long they can last in humans is still unknown; furthermore, researchers are yet to ascertain whether these sperm can lead to healthy babies. This step is important for further research on preserving fertility.

In a bid to address ‘overuse’ of psychiatric medications, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr has launched a new plan that aims to promote appropriate psychiatric prescribing and drive deprescribing when clinically indicated.

Kennedy announced the efforts to curb psychiatric overprescribing at a MAHA Institute summit on mental health and overmedicalization.

“Today, we take clear and decisive action to confront our nation’s mental health crisis by addressing the overuse of psychiatric medications—especially among children,” said Kennedy.

“We will support patient autonomy, require informed consent and shared decision-making, and shift the standard of care toward prevention, transparency, and a more holistic approach to mental health,” he added.

Agencies within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are collaborating to leverage their collective expertise and align their efforts to evaluate prescription patterns for psychiatric medications, their benefits and potential harms, and to elevate the role of non-medication treatments and scalable, evidence-based solutions to improve mental health.

The HHS has planned a multipronged approach, including education and outreach, program and policy actions, and research-to-practice efforts, to prevent the unnecessary initiation of psychiatric medications and support the tapering and discontinuation for patients not experiencing clinical benefit.

Also read: Ibogaine: Why Donald Trump Is Pushing US FDA To Fast-track This Psychedelic

SSRI's The Main Target

The initiative focuses on the most widely prescribed class of psychiatric medications, first-line treatments for depression and anxiety that include Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil and Prozac. In 2025, 16.6 percent of U.S. adults, or roughly one in six, reported currently taking an SSRI, the New York Times reported.

SSRIs—short for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors—are among the most widely prescribed antidepressants in the world. The drugs work by increasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in mood regulation, emotional processing, and impulse control. By preventing serotonin from being reabsorbed too quickly, SSRIs maintain higher levels of the chemical in the brain, which can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety for many patients.

Like any medication, SSRIs come with side effects—such as nausea, sexual dysfunction, and insomnia—but they are generally considered safe and effective when prescribed appropriately.

Experts Welcome But Raise Concerns Over Gap

Psychiatry experts have welcomed the new federal efforts toward improving psychiatric healthcare. They also raised concerns, including potential overemphasis on overprescribing, while access to mental healthcare remains inadequate.

Deprescribing “simply means that if any treatment is not proving itself to be beneficial, or if problems with tolerability substantially outweigh efficacy, it makes sense to discontinue that treatment and replace it with a more effective viable alternative,” said Dr. Joseph F. Goldberg, clinical professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, CNN reported.

Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera, president of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), said the group supports the administration’s plans for further investment, research, and clinical training.

“However, we do have an issue with the framing of mental health as a primary problem of overmedicalization,” Rivera added. “This type of characterization really oversimplifies a very complex, larger issue.”

Read More: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Denies Link To Measles Outbreak At Senate Hearing

“This oversimplification of our mental health does not take into account things like persistent workforce shortages, limited psychiatric beds, inadequate visit time, barriers to psychotherapy and social support, and insufficient integration of psychiatric expertise in primary care,” added Rivera, who is also a clinical professor of psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

New photos circulating on social media of President Donald Trump’s discolored, swollen, and visibly bruised hands have reignited concerns about his health.

The latest viral images show the 79-year-old Republican president at an event honoring military moms just ahead of Mother’s Day. In the photos, Trump’s hands appeared to be lathered in mismatched concealer, seemingly covering bruises. His hands also looked swollen, with white patches visible and purplish coloring apparent on his left hand through the patch.

Also Read: Donald Trump’s Weekend Dental Appointment Triggers Fresh Health Concerns

“Yikes! Both of Trump's hands are discolored today, and one of them appears bruised as well,” one social media user commented.

Another wrote, “New photo shows heavy bruising and makeup on both of Trump's hands.”

Donald Trump's Health: What Does The White House Say

The White House, however, downplayed the concerns, emphasizing Trump’s energy and good health. Trump is “the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history”, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said, the Daily Beast reported.

Also Read: Donald Trump’s Health Under Spotlight After ‘Squirrel’ Remark Sparks Cognitive Debate

“The president is a man of the people, and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other president in history. President Trump’s commitment is unwavering, and he proves that every single day,” Ingle added.

"Hand discoloration can be caused by several underlying conditions, including bruising (bleeding under the skin), low oxygen or poor circulation, swelling (fluid buildup), and infection or inflammation," Dr. Amit Prakash Singh, Consultant in Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, told HealthandMe.

In the past, the White House attributed the bruising on Trump’s hands to his high-dose aspirin regimen—he reportedly takes 325 milligrams daily, four times the typical recommended dose.

As the oldest person to assume the US presidency, Trump’s visible signs, including hand bruising and apparent leg swelling, have fueled ongoing public interest in his health.

Concerns about his mental health have also been raised; experts have reported behaviors such as seeking “great adulation” and becoming “angry if reality does not meet his needs,” according to BMJ.

Speaking on Monday at the White House Small Business Summit, Trump said he had taken the Montreal Cognitive Assessment three times and “aced each one,” claiming a doctor told him it was the first perfect score they had seen, according to The Daily Beast.

Trump also boasted about his ability to correctly identify a squirrel on the cognitive screening test. He suggested that answering the test questions easily demonstrated his cognitive fitness—a claim repeatedly questioned by critics.

Further, his recent visit to a dentist in Florida also sparked discussions about his health.

While past presidents have used the White House’s on-site clinic, Trump opted for a local dentist, as he had previously in January.

Last week, Trump was photographed with his son, Donald Trump Jr., with visible swelling in his ankles. Medical experts note this is likely linked to his chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), diagnosed last July. “CVI damages those valves, causing blood to pool in your legs. This increases pressure in your leg veins and causes symptoms like swelling and ulcers,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Trump’s Image Among Americans Takes A Hit

Nearly 60 percent of Americans are questioning whether Trump is healthy enough to serve in the Oval Office, according to a Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos poll.

Alongside dissatisfaction with his leadership on the Iran war, the economy, and inflation, a growing share of Americans are also questioning his mental acuity.

Nearly 6 in 10 say he lacks the mental sharpness for the role, while 55 percent say he is not in good enough physical health to serve effectively.