Philip Morris seeks for smoke-free future

 

 

As international survey reveals misinformation is leading to confusion about smoke-free products, Philip Morris International (PMI) is pushing for heated- not- burn tobacco products which is aimed at achieving a smoke -free future for all

According to PMI, ‘’ it does not advise anyone especially youths to indulge in smoking, however, adult smokers who find it almost impossible to quit the act should subscribe to science and technologically improved smoke -free products which has about 95% harm reduction, while those who can stop it, should do so immediately to avoid tobacco related diseases like lung cancer, respiratory disease, cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths.

 

Speaking at a  press conference in Lagos, the vice president, Market Activation & Support – Philip Morris International, Tommaso Di Giovanni, said conversations were in progress in many countries to key into the plan to unsmoked the world with improved non- combustible products made possible by modern science and technology.

 

However ,Misinformation threatens progress toward a smoke-free future, reveals an international survey released by Philip Morris International Inc. Well-funded groups continue to promote false narratives and spread confusion even as societal support increases for smoke-free alternatives that are scientifically substantiated to be a better choice for adults than continued smoking.

Similarly, Dr Tendai Mhizha, Author, Public speaker/ Lecturer in Strategy- Integra Africa, who spoke on “Scourge of Disinformation and Misinformation” stressed that there has been a lot of disinformation surrounding the topic of nicotine being the most harmful component in smoking. According to her, this has led to policies that disfavour harm reduction products and discussion that completely denies their benefits. She revealed that many governments across the world are now regulating nicotine products in a fashion that is disproportionate to the risks associated with them.

 

Mhizha said countries like India and Australia government policies are more antagonistic to life-saving harm reduction products such as e-cigarettes and vapes than to deadly combustibles. She called for concerted effort to countering disinformation to protect harm reduction efforts.

 

“One way that harm reduction initiatives can combat issues of disinformation is by investing in longitudinal studies on policy effectiveness. The European Union is already exploring different ways in which it can set up legal and regulatory frameworks to eliminate or prevent disinformation on the subject matter from spreading to the level of influencing government policy.”

 

 

She charged the media, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to conscientiously help to address the scourge of misinformation and disinformation in every facet of human endeavor particularly those issues that have to do with national health and general well-being.

 

Interestingly, there is clear public demand for a collective review of the facts and science about smoke-free products. Nearly eight in 10 respondents (79%) agree that adult smokers who would otherwise continue using cigarettes should have access to and accurate information about smoke-free alternatives. This view is shared by 87% of current adult smokers.

“People expect public health bodies and regulators to reach a scientific consensus around innovative smoke-free alternatives and provide adults who smoke with evidence-based information about these products,” said Grégoire Verdeaux, Senior Vice President, External Affairs at PMI. “Misinformation about smoke-free alternatives—often based on opinion—is a persistent issue that is having real-world consequences. Embracing facts, innovative technologies, and science is the shared responsibility of industry, health authorities, and government, and it’s the least we can do to drive positive change for the world. At Philip Morris International, we prioritize transparency as we transform our business to deliver a smoke-free future—inviting policymakers, the scientific community, and NGOs to review and verify our scientific findings. By providing adult smokers science-based information about better alternatives, we can accelerate the decline in smoking rates, helping to end the use of cigarettes once and for all.”

It will interest you to know  that the federal government in June 2022 increased the tax on cigarettes from 20% to 30%. The minister of Health (State) Olorunnimbe Mamora, had quoted the 6th edition of Tobacco Atlas, which estimates that more than 26,800 annual deaths occur from tobacco-related diseases in Nigeria. At the launch of the Tobacco Control Data Initiative Dashboard in Abuja, the minister said the tax increase was made to dissuade Nigerians from tobacco consumption.

 

For populations to get the right information about smoking, governments should engage the manufacturers or importers of tobacco products for a cross pollination and fertilization of ideas on how to entrench better alternatives to endangered tobacco products and smoking.

 

Governments and civil societies should update their knowledge and understanding about smoking with current data and information about the product under review. Tommaso di Giovanni said that “There are a lot of improvement and development brought about by science and technology regarding to tobacco smoking. The information about tobacco products 10 years ago is outdated. The industry is evolving and we should not anchor our plans, our decisions or policy design on emotions. Many countries in Europe, Asia and Africa are subscribing to de- smoke and unsmoking the world through improved products. We believe it would be ideal for governments to think about progress, instead of paying the cost of harmful effects of tobacco smoking,” he urged.

 

Also, the Director EA Nigeria, at PMI, Mojisola Akpata, maintained that PMI has over a period leveraged technology and science to develop, assess, and commercialize less harmful alternatives products.

 

Akpata confirmed that PMI is making tremendous progress toward a smoke-free future by disrupting its business to achieve a bold vision—to replace cigarettes with science-based smoke-free products.

 

“PMI is actively working to expand its purpose and evolve into a broader lifestyle, consumer wellness and healthcare company, extending its value proposition and innovative capability to commercialize products that go beyond tobacco and nicotine,”

 

 

According to her, tobacco harm reduction make sense because current fiscal and regulatory measures are not accelerating cessation, while scientifically substantiated products capable of switching consumers out of differentiated regulatory frameworks should be adopted.

 

“The interest of 1 billion people who smoke globally should also be at the center of every public health discourse. We believe that with the right regulatory frameworks, dialogue and support from civil society, cigarette sales can end within 10 to 15 years in many countries,”

 

She posited that PMI biggest positive impact on harm reduction was that, the company recently estimated that there were approximately 17.9 million people who switched to IQOS and stopped smoking, with the balance in various IQOS users, 71 percent of them, or 12.7 million adult smokers have stages of conversion.

 

“The emergence of both electronic (e-) cigarettes and heated tobacco products -Tobacco Heating System (THS) or IQOS by Philip Morris International (PMI) is a reduced risk alternative to conventional cigarettes as a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP). Philip Morris researchers have proven that IQOS aerosol is significantly less harmful to human health. The increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and, more recently, the new “heat-not-burn” tobacco products (heated tobacco products (HTPs) under its IQOS brand is the way to go,” she added.

 

 

For Okechukwu Aguoru, General Manager (Nigeria) at Philip Morris, smoke-free products remains a better alternatives for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke because they do not produce smoke( do not burn tobacco). “Aaerosol-like smoke contains a mixture of particles suspended in gas. But unlike smoke, the aerosol does not contain solid particles and contains fewer and reduced average levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarette smoke.

 

“The best choice for smokers is to quit tobacco and nicotine products entirely. Smoke is the main concern because of the high levels of harm involved and it’s a primary source of smoking-related diseases found in cigarette smoke.

 

“Scientific studies have shown that, as the temperature of tobacco increases, the levels of harmful chemicals formed increase. A cigarette burns tobacco at temperature up to 900°C. This creates the high levels of risk. By eliminating smoke, these products can significantly reduce the average levels of harmful chemicals. This makes them a better choice than continuing to smoke the conventional cigarettes.”

 

He charged adult smokers to seek accurate information on the matter under review to enable them make informed decisions. “We all must be careful of misleading information, science and technology has made like better for all of us, it’s our responsibility to scan through and pick those information that can make us better persons and leave a legacy for the coming generations,” and in this regard, the media, the government, CSOs, others should help the publics to the right information,” he asseverated.

 

It would be recalled that the survey also shows the extent of public confusion surrounding smoke-free products.Nearly half the adults surveyed wrongly believe that e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are more harmful than or equally harmful as cigarettes (45% and 46%, respectively, for each product category).

Asked why they have not considered switching to a better alternative, around a third of smokers surveyed cited lack of information about how these products differ from cigarettes (33%), uncertainty about the science (35%), or having easier access to cigarettes (32%), the most harmful form of tobacco consumption.

Promisingly, the survey findings also demonstrate how accurate information about better alternatives can help smokers to move away from cigarettes.

The vast majority (91%) of adult smokers who have switched to a better alternative and stopped smoking confirmed that having accurate information about how these products differ from cigarettes was an important factor in their decision.

Of adults who smoke, 63% would be more likely to switch to a better alternative (such as e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products) if they had clarity on how these products differ from cigarettes and the science behind them.

The survey also explores public attitudes toward scientific studies conducted by manufacturers of smoke-free products. A majority of adults surveyed (82%) believe their governments have a responsibility to objectively review and consider scientific evidence about smoke-free alternative products coming from manufacturers such as PMI. Additionally, nearly three quarters (72%) support tobacco companies working with governments, regulators, and public health experts to ensure that smokers have access to and accurate information about smoke-free alternatives.

Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company, its shareholders, and its other stakeholders.

PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, as well as smoke-free products, associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. In addition, PMI ships versions of its IQOS Platform 1 device and consumables to Altria Group, Inc. for sale under license in the U.S., where these products have received marketing authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway; the FDA has also authorized the marketing of a version of IQOS and its consumables as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP), finding that an exposure modification order for these products is appropriate to promote the public health.

PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through 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 heat-not-burn and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of June 30, 2021, PMI’s smoke-free products are available for sale in 67 markets in key cities or nationwide, and PMI estimates that approximately 14.7 million adults around the world have already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking.