Interview with A Billion Lives Director Aaron Biebert
A Billion Lives, a 2016 documentary directed by Aaron Biebert, took aim at big business interests and the way they shape the debate over alternatives to smoking. We sat down with Biebert for a video interview about the film, his story and the project he was working on next.
Short version: This is a look back at a conversation with a filmmaker. It shares his work and his point of view, not medical advice.
About the film
A Billion Lives argued that powerful business interests were affecting the lives of millions of people by standing in the way of alternatives to cigarettes. The goal was to put a spotlight on those interests and on the people Biebert believed they were affecting.
His next project: You Don’t Know Nicotine
When we spoke, Biebert and his crew were working on a follow-up called You Don’t Know Nicotine. This time the focus was nicotine itself: the project set out to investigate it and to challenge what Biebert saw as inaccurate and negative misconceptions about it. At the time, he was raising money for the film through a Kickstarter campaign.
In the interview, Biebert shared his story and his push to raise awareness about vaping and nicotine.
Watching with a critical eye
Documentaries like this are part of a bigger, ongoing conversation. Watch them the way you’d read any source: note who is making the argument, and check the claims against current public-health guidance.
Watch the interview
The interview was posted on our YouTube channel. Watch ZampleBox interviews on YouTube.
Where things stand now
The science and the policy debate have kept moving since then. Nicotine is addictive, no vaping product is FDA-approved as a quit-smoking aid, and public-health bodies still disagree on many details. If you have questions about nicotine, talk to your doctor and check the CDC and the FDA for current guidance. For the basics, see our guide to nicotine and choosing a strength.
WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. For adults 21+ only.