How the pro‑nicotine ‘wellness’ movement rebranded an addictive drug

An ironic development alongside “Make America Healthy Again” is the portrayal of nicotine as a wellness and performance-enhancing product. Nicotine is being repositioned from an addictive substance linked to tobacco use to a natural product used for everything from improving focus to protecting against cognitive decline, Professor Hasmeena Kathuria of University of Wisconsin-Madison warned.