Providing a diversity of choice for adult smokers can unlock the door to a smoke-free future
At PMI, we understand our vision of a world without cigarettes will only become a reality if we deliver a range of smoke-free products that meet the needs of every adult who would otherwise continue to smoke.
PMI’s ambition is to replace every cigarette for all adults who would otherwise continue to smoke with science-based smoke-free products, as soon as possible.
To achieve this, we must first deliver a range of smoke-free products to satisfy the various taste, usage, technology, and price preferences among this vast group of people.
That’s why we’re continuing to grow our multicategory portfolio of science-based better alternatives to cigarettes—ensuring we can meet the needs and expectations of every adult smoker in every part of the world.
Today, thanks to our advances in this critical space, PMI is leading the way in smoke-free products.
However, it will take the support and concerted efforts of all key parties—from policymakers to the scientific community—to ensure all adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke are given access to, and correct information about, these science-backed innovations.
Watch: This is why tobacco harm reduction is critical
Our leaders discuss how harm reduction strategies can be applied to tobacco to end cigarettes for good.
This is why tobacco harm reduction is critical
Instrumental music starts
Moira Gilchrist, Chief Communications Officer for Philip Morris International, speaks to camera:
The policy of harm reduction has been around forever.
How harm reduction can end smoking
Stacey Kennedy, President, Americas Region and CEO of PMI’s U.S. business, speaks to camera:
Harm reduction for me is all about looking at the types of harms that the human population endures and in looking at how consumers can replace more harmful behaviors with less harmful behaviors.
Gizelle Baker, Vice President Global Scientific Engagement for Philip Morris International, speaks to camera:
There is some level of inevitability that you won't be able to completely abolish or get rid of something that is negative to our health.
Moira Gilchrist speaks to camera:
Harm reduction is really part and parcel of society.
Whether it be automobiles or cars, we have seat belts, we have safety features like airbags and so on.
Jacek Olczak, CEO of Philip Morris International, speaks to camera:
Many years ago we discovered that part of the big contribution to energy saving could be switched to light bulbs which consume much less energy so we replace the old product with the better product.
Stefano Volpetti, President, Smoke-Free Inhaled Products and Chief Consumer Officer, speaks to camera:
Harm reduction might be a complex topic.
In reality, PMI’s philosophy makes it very clear:
If you don't smoke, don't start,
If you smoke, quit,
If you don't quit, change.
Stacey Kennedy speaks to camera:
If we just expect the 1 billion smokers on the planet to just stop, history over the past decades has told us that's simply not going to happen.
Lars Dahlgren, President, Smoke-free Oral Products & CEO, Swedish Match, speaks to camera:
The fact of the matter is that a lot of people don't quit tobacco because they enjoy their products, they enjoy nicotine.
Harm reduction means providing better alternatives.
Stacey Kennedy speaks to camera:
We really have to make sure that there is a broad societal awareness of the fact that burning tobacco is what causes the harm.
Bin Li, Chief Product Officer for Philip Morris International, speaks to camera:
We can deliver a product that can still give you a sensory and taste that's very close to tobacco and we have reduced the harm.
Stacey Kennedy speaks to camera:
It has to be a replacement product that satisfies consumers, that gives them a similar ritual, but that yet scientifically and technologically reduces the harm that they would otherwise be exposed to.
Gizelle Baker, speaks to camera:
Obviously there's still some level of toxicants that you're being exposed to when you switch to these products but it's significantly less than cigarette smoke.
Badrul Chowdhury, Chief Life Sciences Officer, Smoke-Free Products for Philip Morris International, speaks to camera:
You actually have a product where this 5,000, 6,000 chemicals are mostly eliminated and the 100 or so chemicals which are known to be harmful are reduced or eliminated.
Gizelle Baker, speaks to camera:
What we can say today is that millions of people who smoke cigarettes have given up cigarette smoking altogether to switch to these new products.
Jacek Olczak speaks to camera:
The science exists.
The conversation should be what do we do now about the science?
Smoke-free products are not risk-free and provide nicotine, which is addictive.
Philip Morris International’s logo is seen on screen
Delivering a better, smoke-free future.
Music ends.
New approach required
We are clear that the best choice any smoker can make is to quit smoking and stop using nicotine products altogether—but the reality is that many don’t.
In fact, we know that in any given year, only one in 10 adult smokers will successfully quit smoking.
Despite the widely known health risks of cigarette smoking, there are still estimated to be around one billion smokers today, and based on current trends this figure is not expected to change in the near future.
This shows that cessation strategies alone, whilst effective, are not sufficient.
Those adults who continue to smoke deserve a pragmatic approach and the opportunity to switch to a better alternative that can enable them to move away from cigarettes for good.
Today, these pioneering alternatives to smoking exist.
Better choices for a better future
Products that eliminate combustion—such as e-vapor devices, heated tobacco products, and oral smokeless products—are a much better choice for adults than continued smoking.
Why? Because it’s the high levels of harmful compounds found in cigarette smoke, generated by the combustion of tobacco, that are the leading cause of smoking-related diseases.
While smoke-free products that provide nicotine, which is addictive, are not risk-free, the absence of combustion can significantly reduce the average levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.
For more than a decade, PMI has leveraged technology and science to develop, assess, and commercialize these less harmful alternatives to cigarettes.
Since 2008, we have invested over USD 12.5 billion in the development, scientific substantiation, manufacturing, commercialization, and continuous innovation of smoke-free products to help adults who would otherwise continue to smoke switch to smoke-free alternatives.
Broadening our portfolio
By continuing to seize new opportunities to expand our range of smoke-free products, we’ll be better positioned to achieve our 2030 goal of becoming two-thirds majority smoke-free product company.
From our leading heated tobacco system to our responsibly commercialized e-vapor and oral smokeless products, we are building our future on a multicategory portfolio of scientifically backed smoke-free products for those adults who would otherwise continue to smoke.
Our smoke-free products deliver nicotine, as this is one of the characteristics—along with taste and ritual—adult smokers look for in alternative products.
Of course, consumer acceptance of better alternatives to cigarettes is a critical component in our effort to move away from cigarettes entirely.
Even the product with the lowest level of risk would not bring benefits to consumers and public health if adult smokers did not switch to it.
Product development driven by consumers’ needs and expectations and backed by scientific substantiation is paramount, as it is key to delivering on consumer acceptance.
Tobacco harm reduction: Accelerating society’s smoke-free journey
PMI understands that no one product will address all adult smokers’ individual preferences.
To achieve a smoke-free future, it’s critical we make a multi-category portfolio of science-based better alternatives available to those who would otherwise continue to smoke.
Further to that, we need governments and regulators to acknowledge that cessation strategies don’t work for everyone—and that supplementing these efforts with a tobacco harm reduction approach can accelerate a decline in smoking.
We know that if better alternatives to smoking are made available, and enough adult smokers switch to them, we can more rapidly achieve a significant milestone in global health—a world without cigarettes.
Who wouldn’t want to help deliver a future like that?
