Report Shows Progress On Smoke-free Transformation

There is an appreciable progress in the drive towards tobacco harm reduction using alternative products, a report by the Philip Morris International, has shown.

The report titled ‘Delivering A Smoke-free Future: Facts and Figures’ was released to journalists during a virtual meeting on Misinformation/Disinformation and Tobacco Harm Reduction, on Tuesday.

According to the report, PMI’s Q1 2022 smoke-free net revenues was up over 30% compared to 27.9% for full year 2021.

In the report, PMI said its ambition is for smoke-free products to account for more than 50 percent of total net revenues by 2025 even as it expects IQOS to be in 100 markets in the next five years.  .

The report showed that as of March 2022, PMI’s smoke-free products are available in 71 markets with 30 of these markets being in low and middle-income countries.

“While cigarette sales today remain the largest part of PMI’s business in most countries, this is changing rapidly” the report noted adding that in 2021, smoke-free products represented 29 percent of total net revenues and over 13 percent of total shipment volume, up from 2.7 percent and 0.9 percent respectively in 2016”

Available evidence suggests that smoke-free products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and modern oral products are increasingly gaining wide acceptability with scientific research confirming that they are less harmful compared to cigarette smoke.

It is established that high levels of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals present in cigarette smoke are the leading cause of smoke-related diseases.

There are no fewer than 6,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke and according to public health experts, about 100 of these are linked to smoke related diseases. Experts assert that all smoke-free products are different and should be scientifically validated on their own merits.

PMI said from 2008 to date, it has invested more than $9 billion in the development, scientific substantiation, manufacturing, commercialization, and continuous innovation of smoke-free products out of which $120m was invested in the construction of R&D facility, the Cube, in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

“And 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” PMI stated in the report.

Speaking on News literacy, Disinformation and Misinformation in society, Dr Tendai Mhizha, an author, Public speaker and Lecturer in Strategy- Integra Africa said Africa has been a frequent target of misinformation.

“There has been a lot of disinformation surrounding the topic of nicotine and the alleged negative effects that e-cigarettes have on the body. This has led to policies that disfavour harm reduction products and discussion that completely denies their benefits.

“Many governments across the world are now regulating nicotine harm reduction products in a fashion that is disproportionate to the risks associated with them” she added.

To address the menace of disinformation, Mhizha urged the scientific community to set the standard for producing reputable, evidence-based information that can be communicated to the public.