Philip Morris International boss: we may eventually stop selling tobacco cigarettes

The new IQOS device heats, rather than burns the tobacco cartridge
Lucy Young
Ben Morgan30 November 2016

The boss of one of the world’s biggest tobacco companies today said it could eventually stop selling conventional cigarettes.

Philip Morris International today put on sale in London a smokeless cigarette which it claims generates a fraction of the harmful chemicals produced by normal cigarettes.

It hopes to take on the e-cigarette market with the IQOS, which heats two-inch tobacco cartridges to 350C to release a smokeless vapour.

The firm said the level of harmful chemicals produced was 90-95 per cent lower than cigarette smoke, but anti-smoking groups called for more independent evidence.

André Calantzopoulos, PMI’s chief executive, said he believes enough smokers will start using it so the company can work with governments to think about a “phase-out” of cigarettes.

He told BBC Radio 4: “I believe there will come a moment in time where I would say we have sufficient adoption of these alternative products ... to start envisaging, together with governments, a phase-out period for cigarettes.”

He added: “I hope this time will come soon.”

Anti-smoking groups today urgently called for more independent evidence into the IQOS technology but said it could lead to a “big improvement” in public health.

uses small two-inch cartridges of tobacco - called Heets - which are heated to around 350 degrees Celsius to release the vapour.

It is being marketed to existing smokers who do not want to give up but do want to reduce their chance of developing smoking related diseases.

It follows a £2.4billion investment by PMI over the last ten years involving more than 400 scientists at PMI’s £145million research laboratory The Cube, in Neuchantel, Switzerland.

Eight clinical trials have been conducted into the effectiveness of the IQOS device and the first independent study was commissioned several weeks ago, PMI said.

Speaking ahead of the official launch of the IQOS at PMI’s new store in Wardour Street, Soho, tomorrow morning, Dr Moira Gilchrist, director of scientific engagement, said: “The technology we have in this product is genuinely groundbreaking.

“The control we have over the temperature of the tobacco is unparalleled.

“We understand the scepticism of science from the tobacco industry but we have forged ahead with an extensive programme of studies.

“We have been transparent with our models and we want feedback from the scientific community.

“We wanted completely independent evaluation of the product by experts doing their own studies.”

She added: “IQOS heats rather than burns the tobacco and by doing that, it significantly reduces the production of harmful or potentially harmful chemicals absorbed by the body.

“We have been able to demonstrate in clinical studies in adult smokers that if they switch to IQOS and use it instead of cigarettes, they substantially reduce the health risks.”

Smokers must register their details with PMI in-store and pay £45 for the device, while the tobacco containing Heets come three varieties within packs of 20 and cost around £8. Users also get hands-on training on how to use the IQOS.

The device launched in Milan, Italy, and Nagoya, Japan, in 2014 and is available in eight other countries.

The World Heath Organisation said it was monitoring the new heat not burn products and will study the scientific data before taking a position on the technology.

Anti-smoking campaign group Action for Smoking Health chief executive Deborah Arnott said: “Philip Morris states that this is potentially a reduced risk product.

“If smokers switch to electronic cigarettes or other products that can be shown to cut the risks to their health, this could lead to a big improvement in public health. But we need independent evidence to support any claims made by the tobacco industry.

“Philip Morris claims to be promoting a ‘post smoking future’ but, like other tobacco companies, it is still actively promoting smoking around the world, using methods that would be illegal in the UK.

“From past experience nothing the tobacco companies say should be accepted at face value.

“Fully independent research and assessment will be crucial if IQOS and related products are to be accepted as useful in fighting the smoking epidemic.”

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