Philip Morris International Funds Anti-Smoking Foundation

Nov.21.2022
Philip Morris International Funds Anti-Smoking Foundation
Philip Morris creates anti-smoking fund with $1 billion allocation over 12 years, met with skepticism from experts.

In September 2017, one of the major tobacco companies, Philip Morris International (PMI), announced its bold move to allocate $1 billion to establish a foundation that aims to curb smoking. PMI pledged to provide an additional $80 million annually towards this initiative for the next 12 years.


At the time, many anti-smoking experts suspected that this move was simply to ensure the popularity and success of Philip Morris' reduced harm product, iQOS. On the other hand, Derek Yach, a well-known anti-tobacco activist who played a major role in the development of the 2005 World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), accepted the position of president of the foundation.


Inclusive approach


At the time, Yach assured his colleagues that he had not "gone to the dark side," adding that his relationship with PMI was based on opportunity rather than trust. "I'm not naive enough to believe that Philip Morris did this to achieve a warm fuzzy feeling about reducing the death rate. No, they wanted to have a lower-risk product and make a profit. That's the beginning and end of it.


Meanwhile, last year, Yach announced that he would be leaving the foundation, but he still believes that tobacco innovation is the way forward. Recently, Tobacco Reporter focused their entire issue on innovation and as part of this, they interviewed the former president of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

BAT Rothmans Upgrades neo™ Boost for glo™ HYPER Series
BAT Rothmans Upgrades neo™ Boost for glo™ HYPER Series
BAT Rothmans said on April 13 that its heated tobacco brand glo™ will launch an upgraded version of neo™ Boost, the dedicated stick for the HYPER series. The company said the refresh focuses on strengthening freshness and cooling sensations to improve the overall user experience.
Apr.14 by 2FIRSTS.ai
PML Expands Its UK Smoke-Free Portfolio With LEVIA
PML Expands Its UK Smoke-Free Portfolio With LEVIA
Philip Morris Limited has launched LEVIA, a new range of zero-tobacco flavored nicotine sticks created for the IQOS ILUMA range. The product expands the company’s smoke-free portfolio in the UK and will initially be available in four variants, including Deep Mint and three capsule-based flavors. LEVIA has a recommended retail price of £5, or about $6.73, based on the European Central Bank’s April 28.
Apr.29 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Philip Morris Korea Names Lee Hong-seok as New CEO Effective May 1
Philip Morris Korea Names Lee Hong-seok as New CEO Effective May 1
Philip Morris Korea said on April 29 that it has appointed Lee Hong-seok, head of its smoke-free products division, as its new chief executive officer, with his term beginning on May 1. Yoon Hee-kyung, who took office in 2023, will step down after about three years in the role.
Apr.30 by 2FIRSTS.ai
FDA Expands ENDS Market Access With First Authorization of Non-Tobacco and Non-Menthol Products
FDA Expands ENDS Market Access With First Authorization of Non-Tobacco and Non-Menthol Products
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on May 5, 2026 that it authorized the marketing of four Glas electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products through the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway. The authorized products are Classic Menthol, Fresh Menthol, Gold and Sapphire pods, each containing 50mg/ml, or 5%, tobacco-derived nicotine.
May.06 by 2FIRSTS.ai
BAT AGM Highlights Smokeless Strategy, AI Capability and Regulatory Engagement
BAT AGM Highlights Smokeless Strategy, AI Capability and Regulatory Engagement
BAT Chair Luc Jobin told shareholders at the company’s 2026 Annual General Meeting that BAT delivered on its plans in 2025 despite a challenging external environment, with the U.S. business returning to growth, smokeless consumers increasing by more than 15%, improved New Categories contribution, and GBP 6.3 billion returned to shareholders.
Apr.16 by 2FIRSTS.ai
FDA Tobacco Center Plans Faster Review Process for Certain Supplemental PMTAs
FDA Tobacco Center Plans Faster Review Process for Certain Supplemental PMTAs
FDA Center for Tobacco Products Acting Director Bret Koplow issued a statement on May 7 outlining new steps to accelerate tobacco product premarket application review. The statement said CTP reduced the backlog of applications by approximately 70% in 2025 and that there is no longer a queue for PMTAs pending acceptance review.
May.09 by 2FIRSTS.ai