Commercial Tobacco and Nicotine Industry-Funded Research Has No Place in SRNT and Nicotine & Tobacco Research

N&TR does not have a policy regarding industry-affiliated research or researchers, who are not tobacco industry employees, and SRNT holds the policy that “Individuals who consult for the tobacco industry are, at this time, eligible for membership.” Industry-funded consultants continue to be visible participants at SRNT meetings, and N&TR’s reviewer list for 2023 includes individuals who are industry employees or consultants. The second article,2 falls into this “consultant” loophole, even though the article’s disclaimer indicates that JUUL Labs, Inc. funded the research and “reviewed and provided comments on a draft manuscript.” Additionally, SRNT’s policy only applies to JUUL because of the financial relationship between JUUL and Altria; the employees of other e-cigarette and commercial nicotine companies not owned by cigarette companies remain able to publish in N&TR.