A scoping review and thematic analysis of policy implications of novel and emerging nicotine and tobacco products regulation

Background This scoping review aimed to examine policy implications from studies investigating the effectiveness of policies related to novel and emerging nicotine and tobacco products (NENTPs) and to identify commonalities in policy implications for NENTPs through thematic analysis. Methods This scoping review involved a comprehensive search across the following four databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL. The latest search was on March 15, 2025. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines were followed. Studies were included if they examined the effectiveness of NENTPs-related policies. After screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, 21 studies were selected and analyzed based on the framework to derive policy implications. Results Most studies were conducted in high-income countries. Thematic analysis yielded the following two analytical themes: (1) regulatory governance and policy system architecture for NENTPs control, which included three descriptive themes—namely, regulatory spillover control in the national context, evidence-informed policy transition and regulation, government monitoring and compliance assurance; and (2) exposure reduction at the population level and societal regulation of NENTPs use, with four descriptive themes—namely, product attribute restrictions as an initiation control, regulation of access to retail stores and exposure to youth, economic restraint through tax increase, and customized communication for policy education. Conclusion This study highlights that effective legal regulation of NENTPs requires not only regulatory governance and policy systems but also population-level regulatory mechanisms that reinforce the legal foundation. Our findings provide timely, integrated insights for policymakers by examining commonly shared perspectives among policy researchers.