The Future Is Smoke-Free
Through investment and product innovation, Philip Morris International is helping to make cigarettes a thing of the past.
Nicotine is addictive and not risk-free, but experts agree that nicotine itself is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. The real problem is chronic exposure to the toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke.
When a cigarette is lit, the tobacco burns generating a smoke that contains thousands of chemicals, many of which are toxic and known to cause disease. Public health authorities have classified these toxicants as the primary cause of smoking-related diseases, such as lung cancer, heart disease, and emphysema.
Despite being aware of the health risks, many smokers continue to smoke cigarettes. Currently, there are over one billion smokers worldwide, and it is estimated that this number will not change significantly in the coming years. Quitting smoking – or better yet, never starting – is without doubt the best option to reduce the risk of smoke-related diseases. But, for those smokers who continue, technology has now made it possible to produce smoke-free alternatives, which are less harmful than cigarettes.
Tremendous progress has already been made in moving towards a smoke-free future. Philip Morris International (PMI) is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than smoking cigarettes. Since 2008, PMI has invested over $8.1 billion in smoke-free products. Through its multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities, and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI’s smoke-free product portfolio includes heated tobacco products and nicotinecontaining vapor products.
In 2020, 76% of PMI’s commercial efforts and 98% of its R&D expenditures were dedicated to smoke-free products. Looking ahead, PMI aims to have smokefree products account for 30% of its shipping volumes by 2025, which means approximately 40 million adult smokers switching to these alternatives. Currently, IQOS, one of PMI’s smoke-free alternatives, is available for sale in 70 markets, and the company estimates that approximately 14.9 million adults around the world have already stopped smoking and switched to IQOS.
According to Dr Gizelle S. Baker, VP of Global Scientific Engagement at PMI, researchers, healthcare professionals, governments, the industry, and the media need to work together to ensure smokers are able to make informed decisions about their health, relative to continued smoking. To encourage smokers to switch to smoke-free products, Dr Baker also stresses the importance of encouraging innovation in the development of less harmful products, and the implementation of a regulatory framework that recognizes that not all tobacco products are the same.
Today, a future in which cigarettes are obsolete is within reach. In fact, with the right regulatory encouragement and support from civil society, cigarette sales could even end within 10 to 15 years in many countries. Effective policies and regulation should allow smokers access to scientifically substantiated smokefree products. They should also enable smokers to make informed choices based on accurate information about these products.