PMI’s Technovation charts a road map to a smoke-free future

Technovation, Philip Morris International (PMI)’s annual flagship conference conducted in Dubai recently, focused on the importance of technological innovation, consumer education and progressive regulation in transitioning to a completely smoke-free future.

The day-long event, held at W Dubai, the Palm, featured conversations with PMI’s top management as well as thought leaders, doctors and consumer advocates about the scientific advancements in smoke-free alternatives, and the road map to bringing it to consumers in the Global South.

“There are 1.2 billion smokers worldwide, and 80 per cent of them are in the emerging economies,” said Frederic de Wide, President SSEA, MEA & CIS Region, PMI, in his opening remarks. “This is why the challenge for us today is to bring the successful smoke-free innovations we have developed in the West into this region.”

Innovation hub

“The UAE has positioned itself as a strategic and innovation hub, not just for the MENA region, but on the global stage,” said Richa Rustagi, Managing Director, Lower Gulf & Iraq, PMI. “They have always been a step ahead in terms of understanding the positive impact on public health that these smoke-free products can have.”

This issue was at the core of the discussion during the event – how to bring this understanding to the countries across the region so that more adult consumers can be educated about the alternatives to traditional smoking.

“One idealistic school of thought will tell you that people should stop smoking. I think society is in agreement with this – people shouldn't smoke,” said Jacek Olczak, CEO, PMI during a candid fireside chat. “But the reality is, people do smoke, more so now than ever before, and they will continue smoking and accumulating the negative health effects if we don't give them safer alternatives, which, thanks to the technology and the science, drastically reduces their exposure and risk.”

Technological advancements

PMI has doubled down on its determination to lead this charge towards a smoke-free future in the past two decades, building a research centre for that purpose in Neuchâtel, Switzerland that houses more than 1,400 scientists, and investing over $14 billion (Dh51.4 billion) in smoke-free products, which translates to 99.5 per cent of its R&D and 80 per cent of its commercial budget.

But the main stumbling block in the way, particularly in the emerging economies, is the misinformation that continues to abound, according to Tomoko Iida, Director Scientific Engagement, SSEA CIS & MEA, PMI.

“Nicotine is addictive, yes, but it's not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases such as cancer,” she said, speaking at the event on harm reduction while using tobacco. “That is actually caused by the burning or combustion of tobacco.”

The technological innovation, therefore, has been the introduction of heat-not-burn tobacco products and nicotine pouches, which have seen high adoption rates in countries such as Japan and Sweden, accompanied by a corresponding lowering of number of smokers. According to Iida, there has seen a 50 per cent reduction in cigarette sales in Japan in the past decade, and smoking rates in Sweden have dropped to just 5 per cent.

But the rest of the world has been slower in adopting these alternatives.

Changing mindsets

“The issue we're facing is not new; change and innovation takes time,” said Tommaso Di Giovanni, Vice President Communications & Engagement, PMI on a panel titled From Evidence to Action: Who’s Leading the Smoke-Free Charge. “Every time there's innovation, there's scepticism. It may take time, but in the end, humankind always goes for the better choice. I think the key question is how do we accelerate the pace of change?”

The central takeaway of the event was that this acceleration cannot happen in isolation – it needs the support of regulators and opinion makers in these growing economies.  

“The UAE alone has around 2.5 million smokers,” said Rustagi. “The GCC has 10 million. What I hope is that we’re able to say a few years from now that we've halved the smoking rate in the UAE. That would be the headline that I want to see.”