A Citizens' Assembly on Nicotine: What Would Happen If Ordinary People Made the Rules?
A citizens' assembly would bring together a representative sample of the population—smokers, vapers, nonsmokers, parents, healthcare providers—to learn about the evidence, deliberate about values, and make policy recommendations.
A citizens' assembly on nicotine would hear from researchers, advocates, industry representatives, and nicotine users. It would deliberate—not just debate—about the values that should guide policy. It would produce recommendations that reflect the considered judgment of ordinary people, not just the interests of organized stakeholders. **Citizens' assemblies have been used for complex policy issues—abortion in Ireland, climate in France. They've never been used for nicotine. The idea is radical only because nicotine policy has never been democratically legitimate.**
