Milestones towards a smoke-free future
PMI’s ambition is to be a substantially smoke-free company by 2030. Our work toward this end has required a massive transformation of our business and culture, focused on the development and scientific substantiation of our expanding product portfolio. We have celebrated many milestones along the way since the 2014 pilot launch of our leading heated tobacco product, marketed as IQOS. And we have encountered our share of challenges too, requiring hard work and persistence to overcome mistrust and misconceptions. We are encouraged by the progress that has been made so far and we look forward to seeing what the future holds.
The importance of science-based regulation
Offering smoke-free alternatives to adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke can have a positive impact on public health. That positive impact can be accelerated with regulation that aims to keep up with the pace of technological and scientific innovation and progress, while complementing traditional tobacco control measures like prevention and cessation. Regulation should ensure that any commercially available smoke-free product meets specific quality and performance standards, and that robust scientific evidence demonstrates their reduced-risk profile.
Smoke-free product research highlights
Scientific research is at the heart of PMI’s transformation to a smoke-free company. Our products undergo extensive scientific study in areas including aerosol chemistry and physics, toxicology, clinical research, perception and behavior research, and long-term assessment. This hard work has demonstrated our smoke-free products’ potential to present a lower risk of harm for those adults who switch to them compared with continued smoking. The most recent data from Japan further confirmed previously observed trends that an increase in smoke-free product use has led to a decrease in smoking prevalence.
Innovation toward a smoke-free future
Continuing product innovation is vital to achieving a smoke-free future. Improving existing products and developing new products gives adult consumers greater choice and makes it easier for existing smokers to switch to a smoke-free product that best suits their individual needs. At PMI, innovation in this area dates back at least to the 1990s with the development of early heated tobacco products and will continue to underpin our progress towards a smoke-free future.
