Philip Morris, a smoke-free future is possible

Since sustainability arrived in the cigarette market, we can also speak of a revolution in the tobacco sector. For some time now, the challenge has also been taken up by Philip Morris International which, in addition to the production and marketing of cigarettes in addition 180 countries in the world, has decided to engage in the development of potentially reduced risk smoke-free products.

In this regard, the research and development expenditure carried out by the world's leading group in the tobacco sector registers a total investment of over 3 billion dollars, 15 years of work and a team of 430 scientists and engineers from 40 countries.

Philip Morris's goal both in Italy and in the rest of the world is to start a profound transformation by building a smoke-free future shifting the attention of customers to the new products being tested. Firm conviction remains that there is no better alternative for people's health than to quit smoking altogether: "At Philip Morris - they say in the multinational - we vigorously support that there is nothing better than quitting smoking, but we are convinced that they can have a major impact on public health by promoting alternatives to cigarette smoking. That's why we're investing heavily in alternative products that cater to adult smokers but have the potential to reduce risk compared to cigarette smoking."

Based on the forecasts of the World Health Organization (WHO), despite anti-smoking campaigns, in 2025 there will still be over a billion smokers worldwide. Today, it is estimated that approx 1.1 billion men and women smoke cigarettes or other burnt tobacco products. The prevalence of smoking, which was estimated at 22,1% in 2010 has been steadily declining for several decades, and according to WHO projections it will continue to decrease by 0,21 percentage points per year. At this rate, it would take nearly 100 years to experience a smoke-free world.

According to official data, however, FrThe global population is growing by about 70 million people a year and the combined effect of increasing population and declining smoking prevalence results in a projection of approximately 1,16 billion smokers in 2025. However, these WHO projections are based on current tobacco control policies and do not consider the potential of smoke-free products.

Philip Morris's resolutions by 2025 go in the same direction: the company is committed to ensuring that at least 30% of its consumers, who would otherwise continue to smoke, switch to smoke-free products within six years. Based on this ambitious goal, the multinational company estimates that by 2025 at least 40 million cigarette smokers will have switched to smokeless products. According to the data of the 2017 Sustainability Report drawn up by Philip Morris herself, smoke-free products represent 13% of the company's total net income and to date there are over 5.8 million users of IQOS (the new alternative products) worldwide, for a total than 10.000 new customers a day.

The project to move towards a a smoke-free future has a positive impact on the local area from many points of view: 100% of the energy used, for example by the Italian industrial hub of Philip Morris in Bologna, is produced from renewable sources, 75% is the value of the waste recycling quota in the production of products with potentially reduced risk and 8,6% corresponds to the reduction of CO2 emissions from 2012 to 2017. The positive impact on the environment is accompanied by that on the socio-work and economic-social sphere: an investment of 335 million is intended for the purchase of machinery technology-intensive, 43% of the workforce is made up of women and 24% is represented by employees under 30.

But in detail, what is meant by smoke-free products? These are those products that feature, may feature, or have the potential to feature a lower risk of harm for smokers who choose to approach these products, which are already in various stages of development, scientific evaluation and commercialization. The minor harm believed to come from using these products comes from the fact that they do not burn tobacco, and therefore produce significantly fewer harmful or potentially harmful compounds than smoking cigarettes.

Philip Morris International has focused its efforts in two directions, both aimed at eliminating the burning of tobacco: the first is to heat the tobacco to generate a vapor containing nicotine, while reducing the levels of harmful chemicals, the other is to produce a vapor containing nicotine but without using tobacco.

One of the outstanding products of the new generation of cigarettes is IQOS, which, using a sophisticated electronic system, heats the specially prepared and blended tobacco to a temperature below 350°C, without producing combustion, fire, ash or smoke. This procedure generates a vapor containing nicotine, which allows you to savor the taste of tobacco. Since no combustion process takes place, the levels of harmful chemicals are significantly lower than in cigarette smoke.

The latest generation of IQOS – number 3 – was presented in world premiere last October 23 in Tokyo. In addition to Japan and Italy, the IQOS 3 system has so far been launched in Switzerland, South Korea, Russia, UK, Colombia, Germany, Portugal and South Africa.

In Italy, Philip Morris Italia and Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology Bologna are the two affiliates of the Philip Morris group among the pioneers of this new product category both from a commercial point of view – IQOS was launched for the first time in Milan in 2014 – both industrial. In Crespellano, in the province of Bologna, Philip Morris has built its first plant in the world for the large-scale production of smokeless tobacco products. The Crespellano plant, built between 2014 and 2018, has envisaged a total investment of over 1 billion euros and the creation of over 1200 new jobs and represents one of the largest production plants built in Italy since the post-war period to date with its 110.000 meters square.

Among the best results obtained in the world by Philip Morris is that of Japan. There, the phenomenon of smoking, although historically less regulated by law than in other countries, has changed profoundly following the introduction of IQOS on the market. In November 2014, Philip Morris International also launched the product in the Japanese manufacturing hub of Nagoya, immediately receiving strong interest. Since then, cigarette sales in Japan have seen a record decline, falling 16%.