Smokers need better access to factual information about alternative tobacco products.
In Partnership with Philip Morris Switzerland Sàrl
Switching from traditional cigarettes to tobacco alternatives is not easy. It takes time and adjustment for smokers who are used to lighting tobacco, inhaling hot smoke and watching a cigarette stick burn.
However, tobacco products that have the potential to significantly reduce the average levels of harmful chemicals compared to combustibles but still provide a similar level of enjoyment as a ‘traditional cigarette’ have come a long way. More adult smokers, particularly in western countries and more recently in non-OECD countries, are switching from combustible cigarettes to vapes, e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco thanks to improvements in technology, design and innovation.
Tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris International (PMI) has invested heavily into its alternative product portfolios, which includes the heated tobacco product, IQOS. An estimated 14.9 million adult smokers worldwide have already switched totally to this electronic device as of September 2021.
The company made waves when it announced in June that cigarette sales could end in some countries “within 10-15 years” under the right legal and regulatory environment. In order to achieve this, it says adult smokers must have access to factual, science-based information about smokeless products that will enable them to make informed, better choices about these alternatives.
Making the decision to switch - a smoker’s journey
For many smokers, deciding to quit or switch to better alternatives is triggered by a significant life event.
For 39-year old Londoner, Ali Nasr the decision to quit combustible cigarettes was inspired by a career change from corporate sales manager to football coach. Ali had been smoking for over 20 years and switched to an electric vape device after struggling to quit tobacco for good. He actively sought information about alternatives online and by asking questions at the point of sale in the stores.
“Like many smokers, I have gone through different stages of stopping and starting. I tried a cessation drug that really helped for a period but I found quitting tobacco through life's ups and downs very hard, but one day I will... When I began my new role in physical education, I knew I had to do something different,” he said.
Ali has been using a small, light-weight electronic vape with a nicotine-flavoured liquid as a substitute for the past two years. The device produces a liquid aerosol when inhaled and exhaled.
“When I first started to explore vaping products, they were really big and chunky like old mobile phones. Now I use something that is really quite small and more discrete. I think a lot of smokers aren’t aware of how far these products have come”.
Artiom Kenibasov, a software engineer based in Amsterdam, decided to change his habit and find a better alternative to his cigarettes. Kenibasov who also started smoking many years ago, says tobacco is an important part of his social and work environments. Two years ago, he switched from ten cigarettes a day to Philip Morris’s heated tobacco device.
The decision to move to heated tobacco over other alternatives came down to the aspects he liked most about smoking. He wanted a product that had the same characteristics as combustibles, for example, a disposable tobacco stick which PMI’s flagship product has, as opposed to a liquid.
“I don’t want to miss out on important ideas and conversations shared during breaks (over tobacco) and that’s why I’ve switched to something that would reduce the harmful aspects of cigarettes. I wanted something that was warm and that held like a cigarette,” he said.
Smokers need more information
Despite growth in the industry and evidence that smokers are switching to better tobacco alternatives, many more remain unaware of alternatives because regulation on marketing and communication is highly restrictive.
PMI recently commissioned an independent survey asking almost 30,000 adults in 26 countries about alternative tobacco products. The study showed many adult smokers remain unaware of smoke-free alternatives and do not know where to access factual information about them.
Almost 50 per cent of adults, for example, incorrectly thought e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products were as harmful or equally harmful as cigarettes.
“Misinformation about smoke-free alternatives - often based on opinion - is a persistent issue that is having real-world consequences.
“Embracing facts, innovative technologies, and science is the shared responsibility of industry, health authorities, and government, and it’s the least we can do to drive positive change for the world,” said Grégoire Verdeaux, senior vice president, external affairs at PMI.
Kenibasov, who discovered IQOS through a friend, also says more information about tobacco alternatives is needed.
“I’m glad with my decision to switch, however, I don’t know if these products are impacting my health in other ways. I would like to have more details on the health impact.
“I also think that would help smokers at least consider other alternatives”.
