André Calantzopoulos Asks Attendees to Unsmoke the World
LAUSANNE, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2019--
André Calantzopoulos, chief executive officer of Philip Morris
International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM), today addressed the Boston College
Chief Executives Club, setting out how PMI is radically changing its
business to unsmoke the world and encourage the hundreds of millions of
current adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking cigarettes to
change to better options. The speech was delivered days after the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed that IQOS, PMI’s
electrically heated tobacco system, is appropriate for the protection of
public health and authorized it for sale in the U.S.
“We need to cut through the fog of misinformation; not all tobacco
companies are the same. No other company in our industry has stated such
bold claims: To wholly change their business model and unsmoke the
world,” said Calantzopoulos at the event. Further, he called on
attendees to consider the possibilities of working in greater
collaboration with governments, NGOs and others, adding: “Smokers will
quit cigarettes in favor of better options much more quickly if
regulatory bodies and healthcare stakeholders support a pragmatic and
realistic harm reduction vision. At the very least, we should make sure
existing smokers have access to, and accurate information about, better
alternatives to cigarettes.”
Just as Boston’s private and state sectors prioritized their investment
behind positive social change to build a culture rich in academics,
health and wellness, and innovation, PMI is investing significantly in
scientific research, development and manufacturing facilities—to the
value of over $6 billion USD to date—to transform the public health
landscape of tomorrow.
Calling the FDA’s decision a “major milestone,” Calantzopoulos explained
that PMI is determined to continue its transformative vision to
positively change public health and unsmoke the world.
A complete copy of these remarks is available here.
Further information about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
announcement is available here.
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 PMI website and PMI
Science website.
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Source: Philip Morris International
Philip Morris International
Corey Henry
Philip Morris
International Media Office
T. +1.202.679.7296
E. corey.henry@pmi.com