Philip Morris Jordan (PMJ), an affiliate of Philip Morris International (PMI), announces that approximately three million smokers have already switched to potentially-reduced-risk products, the company’s first heated tobacco product to be successfully commercialized. This is a new step forward in the company’s vision that all smokers switch to scientifically substantiated smoke-free products as soon as possible.
In July 2017 alone, over 232,000 smokers converted to potentially-reduced-risk products globally, which is more than 8,000 people per day, proving that a smoke-free future is a concrete possibility.
“At Philip Morris, we aim to disseminate potentially-reduced-risk, smoke-free alternatives that provide other, viable options for current smokers. However, this objective needs the collective support from all industry stakeholders,” said General Manager of Philip Morris Jordan and Palestine Fadi Ma’ayta. “There is a growing global push to support science and innovation’s role in enhancing public health, and we hope that influential figures in Jordan and Palestine follow suit.”
Recently the UK, the US and New Zealand joined a growing number of countries who recognized the need to review the evidence of the potential benefits of smoke-free products for public health, and announced steps to leverage their potential in their plans for a future without smoke. The US Food and Drug Administration is the first public health entity to have implemented a process of review of tobacco products sold with claims of modified-risk (Modified Risk Tobacco Products), and recently announced plans to implement a comprehensive approach to tobacco including encouraging smokers to switch to better alternatives.
Similarly, the recently announced UK Tobacco Control Plan recognises the vital role that e-cigarettes and other alternatives to cigarettes, including heated tobacco products, can play for a smoke-free future. The document stresses the need to critically evaluate the evidence on these products and provide clear communication to smokers about the risks and benefits of them. The New Zealand Government also recently announced it would legalise e-cigarettes and create a regulatory framework for smokeless tobacco and other nicotine products such as heated tobacco products as part of its Smoke-Free 2025 ambition.
Since 2008, PMI has hired more than 400 scientists and experts, and invested over USD three billion in research, product development and scientific substantiation for a range of smoke-free products.
The company openly shares its scientific methodologies and findings for independent third-party review and verification, and has published its research in over 200 articles and book chapters since 2011.
Results of scientific research conducted by PMI to date indicate that potentially-reduced-risk products is likely to reduce the risk of harm compared to cigarette smoking, and is a better choice for those who would otherwise continue to smoke.