In-depth analysis revealing the scale of Philip Morris International (PMI)’s current campaign to deceive the public, infiltrate health policy and profit from an epidemic.
STOP, a global tobacco industry watchdog of which The Union is a partner, published an in-depth analysis revealing the scale of Philip Morris International (PMI)’s current campaign to deceive the public, infiltrate health policy and profit from an epidemic.
The report, Addiction at Any Cost: Philip Morris International Uncovered, presents evidence that PMI is addicting new users to its IQOS product (which heats tobacco as opposed to burning it) because its cigarette business is under threat – rather than solely because it wants smokers to quit as the company claims.
PMI has spent millions of dollars telling the public that it wants to achieve a “smoke-free world” – yet the new STOP report highlights evidence that PMI continues to invest in cigarettes, a deadly business that kills eight million people every year.
In 2019, the same year that it launched its “Unsmoke” campaign, PMI made more than 700 billion cigarettes, launched a new brand of cigarettes in Indonesia and announced a deal with a local company in Uzbekistan to start producing Marlboro cigarettes.
Since its publication on 20 February, STOP’s report has gained significant media attention globally and has been featured in Global Health Now, Politico Pulse, Telegraph (India) and BioSpectrum, among others. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism also used the research in its recent exposé on PMI in Dispatches (UK).
“Attempting to improve its public image is a tactic we have seen used by the industry before when its profits come under threat,” said Dr Gan Quan, Director of Tobacco Control at The Union. “STOP’s report will play an important part in making sure that the public is informed about the true motives behind PMI’s ’smoke-free world’.”
Read the full report here.
Visit STOP’s website at exposetobacco.org to access tools and resources including the latest analyses, reports, and information on the industry’s tactics.
About STOP (Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products)
STOP is a global tobacco industry watchdog whose mission is to expose the tobacco industry strategies and tactics that undermine public health. STOP is a partnership between The Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath, The Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and Vital Strategies. Learn more at exposetobacco.org.