The Role of PMI: Balancing Business and Science

Why is PMI Still Selling Cigarettes? 

A question we’re often asked.  

The answer?  

We’re working to decrease the demand of cigarettes, but it can’t happen overnight. Nonetheless we’ve seen a steady decline in the shipment volume of our cigarettes, which is fundamental to us delivering a smoke-free future. 

 But in order to get there faster, we need to consider a number of things first.  

1. Consumer Behavior: Changing it so that people no longer want to smoke. Our goal is to spread awareness about smoke-free alternatives to those adult smokers who don’t quit, which takes time. Banning the product wouldn’t solve the problem without behavioral change as consumers would go to competitor brands or the illicit market. 

1. Legal Constraints: In many countries, we are not allowed to sell anything other than cigarettes and traditional tobacco products like cigars. This delays our progress in reaching a smoke-free future. 

1. Shareholder Responsibility: We have a responsibility to our shareholders to continue the growth of the business, which we are doing sustainably by moving away from cigarettes. But it’s not realistic to expect a company to voluntarily discontinue a successful product line from one day to the next. 

Find out more from our Chief Communications Officer, Dr Moira Gilchrist: 

“Philip Morris International unilaterally stopping the sale of cigarettes tomorrow simply won’t change a thing because that doesn’t eliminate the demand for cigarettes. The demand will remain, and others will simply fill it, whether competitors or participants in the illicit market.” - Dr. Moira Gilchrist , Chief Communications Officer. 

Science is for Everyone 

So we’ve made our vision clear. Now how are we taking action?  

Another good question, with a clear answer. 

Science.  

Scientific research is at the heart of our transformation to a smoke-free company. This is so that smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke can access better alternatives to cigarettes. Regulatory policies can help accelerate our progress by keeping up with the pace of technological and scientific innovation.  

We recently hosted a live panel discussion, where six of our expert panelists discussed the role of science at PMI, the challenges we face, and our ambition to be a substantially smoke-free company by 2030. Watch the recording below: 

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