Philip Morris International CEO Urges Governments to Speed Up the End of Cigarettes

Today, on May 24, news reports that Philip Morris International CEO Jacek Olczak stated that current tobacco control policies are insufficient to reduce smoking rates and may prolong the use of cigarettes.

According to the company's press release, Olczak spoke at the UnHerd Club in London on May 23, stating that cigarettes belong in a museum and calling on governments worldwide to accelerate the end of cigarettes.

Using a new hypothetical model based on data from the World Health Organization and other parties, Olczak explained that even assuming that the risks of smoke-free products are only 80% lower than those of cigarettes, if current smokers completely switch to smoke-free products, smoking-related deaths could potentially be reduced by ten times over their lifetime compared to only implementing historical tobacco control measures.

He emphasized a paradox where smoke-free products are banned in some countries, while cigarettes—despite their much greater harm—are still available for sale.

Olczak acknowledged that the model he used has limitations and is based on assumptions, but he pointed out that ignoring the potential of smoke-free products could have significant public health costs.

In 2016, PMI committed to moving away from cigarettes.

As of March 31, 2023, the company has invested over $10.5 billion in the development and commercialization of smoke-free products since 2008, which now account for nearly 35% of the company's total net revenue.

Olczak explained that this mission is to reduce smoking by replacing cigarettes with less harmful alternatives and ultimately eliminate cigarettes.

However, he noted that due to the blind opposition from anti-tobacco organizations and the government's excessive reliance on the so-called precautionary principle, some interpret it as better not to do anything until we know everything.

Olczak called on governments worldwide to take Sweden, Japan, and the UK as examples and adopt policies that provide a wide range of alternatives for adult smokers who have not quit, enabling them to make better choices and make cigarettes a thing of the past. He also urged anti-tobacco organizations to update their thinking, stop hindering innovation, and work towards the common goal of achieving a smoke-free future more quickly.