Oxford Tobacco Addiction Group
Our group produces primary research and systematic reviews of the evidence on interventions to prevent and treat tobacco addiction. This includes interventions for smoking cessation, for preventing smoking uptake, and public policy interventions for reducing smoking prevalence.
WHO WE ARE
We are a group of researchers and doctoral students based within the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and the Interdisciplinary Research in Health Sciences team at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, chaired by Dr Nicola Lindson. We work together to produce research that reduces the burden of tobacco use and smoking-related disease.
Tobacco reduction & cessation interventions
Emerging nicotine products (e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, nicotine pouches)
Smoking reduction strategies, including behavioural support and pharmacotherapies
Brief advice and intervention delivery
Evaluating effectiveness, safety, and implementation
Smoking and quitting in distinct populations
Smoking behaviours and cessation in marginalised groups, including:
People experiencing financial hardship
People with chronic / long-term conditions (e.g., cardiovascular disease)
People with mental health conditions
Various cultural communities
Research Methods
Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and scoping reviews
Randomised controlled trials and service evaluations
Epidemiology and psychological experiments
Stakeholder engagement and public & patient involvement (PPI)
Qualitative approaches (interviews, conversation analysis)
Intervention development and knowledge translation
Teaching & Supervision
Health behaviour change and evidence-based healthcare
Tobacco, smoking, and nicotine research
Evolutionary medicine and translational health sciences
Advanced qualitative research methods and NVivo training
Training health care professionals
Key Projects
Exploring vaping and later smoking in young people an evidence mapping synthesis programme
Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group Twentieth Anniversary Priority Setting
DOCTORAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
Socioeconomic inequalities and smoking cessation behaviours and outcomes (Annika Theodoulou)
Culturally-tailored tobacco use harm reduction and cessation: defining elements for an evidence-based intervention for Arab populations using a mixed methods approach (Andrea Leinberger-Jabari)
MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS
Policy Documents
- Royal College of Physicians. E-cigarettes and harm reduction: An evidence review
- UK Government consultation: Creating a smoke-free generation and tackling youth vaping
Recent NEWS PIECES
- Want to quit vaping this year? Here’s what the evidence shows so far about effective strategies
- Stop-smoking pill varenicline to be offered on NHS – what you need to know
- Heated tobacco: a new review looks at the risks and benefits
- Nicotine replacement: when quitting cigarettes, consider using more nicotine, not less
- Helping smokers quit: financial incentives work
SONGS and Podcasts
Our Team
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Nicola Lindson
Associate Professor
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Ailsa Butler
Postdoctoral Researcher & Systematic Reviewer
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Amelia Talbot
Postdoctoral Qualitative Researcher, BSA Medical Sociology Representative
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Andrea Leinberger-Jabari
DPhil Candidate
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Angela Wu
Postdoctoral Researcher & Lecturer
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Annika Theodoulou
Researcher
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Ethan Knight
Research Assistant
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Jack Joyce
Research Programme Manager
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Jonathan Livingstone-Banks
Lecturer & Senior Researcher in Evidence-Based Healthcare
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Monserrat Guilherme Conde
Researcher
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Rachna Begh
Deputy Course Director, MSc Translational Health Sciences & University Research Lecturer
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Xinxin Yang
Post-doctoral Researcher
Latest publications
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Factors associated with single, dual and poly combustible tobacco use among Emirati adults in the United Arab Emirates: The UAE Healthy Future and ITC Survey results (2016 – 2023)
Journal article
LINDSON N. et al, (2025), Nicotine and Tobacco Research
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The impacts of e-cigarette flavours: An overview of systematic reviews.
Journal article
Livingstone-Banks J. et al, (2025), Addiction
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Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.
Journal article
Lindson N. et al, (2025), Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 1
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Differences in the effectiveness of individual-level smoking cessation interventions by socioeconomic status.
Journal article
Theodoulou A. et al, (2025), Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 1
Key Partnerships and Collaborations
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT)
Oxford City Council - Citizen's Advice
If interested in collaborating please email us at oxtag@phc.ox.ac.uk