Is a smoke-free society within our grasp?

Despite all the publicly available information on the harm caused by smoking, it’s estimated that 1.1 billion people smoke cigarettes, according to the World Health Organisation.

Simply put, the estimates suggest that there will still be this number of smokers in the world by 2025.

It has become clear that a different approach is needed to reduce smoking rates. One that complements traditional measures aimed at preventing people from starting to smoke, especially youth, and getting adult smokers to stop altogether. Adults who continue to use tobacco, should have accurate and non-misleading information about better alternatives.

Philip Morris International (PMI) is driven to defy the status quo and dramatically accelerate the rate at which adult smokers who continue to smoke, switch to scientifically substantiated, better alternatives. While quitting is the best option, for adult smokers who don’t quit, there’s more that can and should be done, says Philip Morris which is rapidly transforming into a diverse tech and science driven organisation determined to secure a smoke-free future.

“Real-world, practical approaches are needed, to bring about significant change which demands leadership, disruptive innovation and forward-thinking,” says Branislav Bibic, Managing Director of Philip Morris South Africa. “We’re on the frontline, embracing our pursuit of offering technology and science-driven reduced harm alternatives that will benefit both the smokers and public health - but we can’t do it alone.”

Bibic explains that it would be a mistake to assume that outdated regulations and a dogmatic approach is going to get us there or that there is a one-size-fits all solution.

“A growing number of scientists, public health experts and governments acknowledge the role smoke-free alternatives can play in addressing the global public health issue of smoking,” he adds. “Now more than ever it is key for smokers to have access to and accurate information about these alternatives.”

The key, he explains is to understand that not all tobacco and nicotine-containing products are the same. “While smoke-free products are not risk-free and contain nicotine which is addictive, it is in fact the burning of tobacco which is the main problem.”

“A cigarette burns at extremely high temperatures which creates thousands of chemicals, over 100 of which have been classified by public health experts as harmful or potentially harmful,” he says. “By eliminating the burning - as is the case with products such as snus, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco - the levels of harmful chemicals generated can be significantly reduced compared to cigarettes.”

Bibic says that most notably, progressive countries like Sweden, Japan and even the United States are acknowledging the role alternative products play in the lives of adults who smoke. “By making these products available, it will benefit the health population as a whole.”

By way of example, he says that Japan between 2015 and 2019 saw total cigarette sales dropping by 34 percent, with 22 percent of the country’s adult smokers having abandoned cigarettes and switched to smoke-free alternatives in just four years. This translates to a decrease of cigarette sales on average five times faster since heated tobacco products were introduced.

What these figures show us, he says, is that while smoke-free alternatives should only be marketed to adult smokers who will continue to smoke or use nicotine products, where scientifically substantiated alternatives are available, they may help reduce overall smoking rates.

“Think of any industry that has undergone a seismic shift and you’ll find disruptive innovation at the source,” he adds. “Car manufacturers have embraced electric vehicles; wearing a mask has become part of everyday life and recycling technologies allow us to reduce more of our waste. The tobacco industry is no different. With vast resources we’re committed to research and development to open the gateway to disruptive change in the tobacco industry.”

Therefore, he says, Philip Morris has enlisted top international technology and scientific talent, but he stresses that it’s not something they can do alone. “Despite all the advances we are making, we can achieve a smoke-free future faster if other companies, governments, regulators, NGOs and public health all have a voice in the discussion and embrace positive change and drive it forward,” he adds.

“Too often governments and regulators are ignoring the data and facts while turning a blind eye to the need for differentiated regulations,” he explains. “While some countries are welcoming smoke-free products to their tobacco control strategies, others are implementing tougher laws and restrictions to keep them out of reach.”

Let’s also be clear, he notes, smoke-free products are not risk-free and are addictive and quitting altogether remains the best choice. “However, there is growing scientific evidence and recognition by health authorities around the world that better products do exist and can play a role in tobacco control policies,” he adds.

Bibic says that for PMI as a company the plight is quite simple. “PMI wants to stop selling cigarettes as quickly as possible. We believe that with the right regulatory encouragement and support from civil society, cigarette sales can end within 10 to 15 years in many countries,” he concludes.