Tobacco firm encourages smokers to stub out habit

THE world’s biggest tobacco company is encouraging smokers to give up cigarettes and switch to vaping in a multimillion-pound campaign.

The £2 million campaign, called Hold My Light, is aimed at persuading the UK’S 7.4 million smokers to go “smoke free” with the help of family and friends.

Smokers are encouraged to give up the habit for a minimum of a month, based on Public Health England research that found smokers who gave up for 28 days were five times more likely to stop smoking completely.

The initiative has been launched by Philip Morris Limited, the maker of Marlboro, as part of a new strategy to switch smokers to their vaping products. They cite Public Health England research, which suggests vaping is 95 per cent safer than smoking cigarettes.

Peter Nixon, managing director of Philip Morris, said: “This campaign breaks new ground, which is an important next step in our company going smoke-free and ultimately stop selling cigarettes.”

Hold My Light is said to be based on behavioural science initiatives that have created positive societal change and is aimed at the 60 per cent of smokers who say they want to quit.

The campaign features a website, video and advertising campaign.

It is the first time a tobacco company has launched a smoke-free campaign directly aimed at encouraging UK smokers to give up cigarettes.