Philip Morris International and Altria Will Make Better Choices
Available Through Socially Responsible Practices
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 2019--
Second paragraph, second sentence of release should read: PMI will bring IQOS
to the U.S. in cooperation with Altria Group, Inc., and its subsidiary
Philip Morris USA (instead of PMI will bring IQOS to the U.S. in
cooperation with Altria Companies, Inc., and its subsidiary Philip
Morris USA).
The corrected release reads:
US FDA ACTION ENABLES MILLIONS OF AMERICAN SMOKERS TO GIVE UP
CIGARETTES
Philip Morris International and Altria Will Make Better Choices
Available Through Socially Responsible Practices
On April 30, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued
a marketing order authorizing IQOS, Philip Morris International’s
(PMI) electrically heated tobacco system, for sale in the United States,
confirming that it is appropriate for the protection of public health.
This is a historic milestone both in the agency’s history and for
American men and women who smoke, nine out of 10 of whom would otherwise
continue to smoke.
Acting under a 2009 statute, the FDA carefully and objectively assessed
an enormous amount of scientific data and deployed its regulatory
authority to make a better choice available to millions of Americans who
currently smoke cigarettes. PMI will bring IQOS to the U.S. in
cooperation with Altria Group, Inc., and its subsidiary Philip Morris
USA.
“For too long, there has been an ideological battle over tobacco
products in the U.S., with cigarette companies at the center of a heated
debate. In our view, and the view of many long-standing tobacco control
advocates, it’s time to put the tobacco wars aside and instead focus on
what’s best for the millions of men and women who smoke in the U.S.,”
said Dr. Moira Gilchrist, PMI’s VP Strategic and Scientific
Communications. “It’s time to treat them like adults and—under the FDA’s
careful oversight—enable them to leave cigarettes behind forever,
including by switching to scientifically substantiated better
alternatives such as the one the FDA has now authorized.”
In bringing IQOS to market in the U.S., PMI will comply with
existing federal and state laws that apply to tobacco products and will
likewise follow the additional specific requirements in FDA’s marketing
order to minimize any unintended use by never smokers, especially youth.
Shortly after receiving the order, PMI and Altria received a letter from
Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK).
One of Mr. Myer’s main objectives for many years has been to achieve
U.S. FDA oversight of tobacco products, including so that tobacco
companies be required “to make technologically feasible changes to
tobacco products to reduce the number and quantity of harmful substances
in those products.” That ambition is now a reality.
CTFK’s letter requested assurances from PMI in relation to the launch of IQOS
in the U.S. PMI has adopted a business strategy that aims to replace
cigarettes with innovative, smoke-free alternatives. For those who
continue smoking, our goal is to maximize adult smoker awareness of and
access to alternatives like IQOS, while minimizing use by
nonsmokers (and that of youth, in particular). In our reply to CTFK, Dr.
Gilchrist emphasized our simple message: “If you don’t smoke, don’t
start; if you smoke, quit; if you don’t quit, change. Just as CTFK aims
to prevent youth tobacco and nicotine use—which we wholeheartedly
support—we also aim for smoke-free adults, a companion goal that we hope
CTFK would also support.”
For a complete copy of Dr. Gilchrist’s reply, please click
here.
To learn more about PMI’s vision of a smoke-free future, visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com
or follow us @InsidePMI
Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future
Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the
tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace
cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would
otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company and its
shareholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in
the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smoke-free products and
associated electronic devices and accessories, and other
nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. PMI is building
a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not
risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through
multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art
facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its
smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous
regulatory requirements. PMI's smoke-free IQOS product
portfolio includes heat-not-burn and nicotine-containing vapor
products. As of March 31, 2019, PMI estimates that approximately 7.3
million adult smokers around the world have already stopped smoking and
switched to PMI’s heat-not-burn product, which is currently available
for sale in 47 markets in key cities or nationwide under the IQOS brand. For
more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190507006105/en/
Source: Philip Morris International
Corey Henry
Philip Morris International Media Office
T. +1
(202) 679 7296
E. corey.henry@pmi.com
