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.


This document has been generated through artificial intelligence translation and is provided solely for the purposes of industry discourse and learning. Please note that the intellectual property rights of the content belong to the original media source or author. Owing to certain limitations in the translation process, there may be discrepancies between the translated text and the original content. We recommend referring to the original source for complete accuracy. In case of any inaccuracies, we invite you to reach out to us with corrections. If you believe any content has infringed upon your rights, please contact us immediately for its removal.

Product | Pixx Nicotine Toothpicks Listed on UK Retail Website, Said to Be Unaffected by Upcoming Vape Tax
Product | Pixx Nicotine Toothpicks Listed on UK Retail Website, Said to Be Unaffected by Upcoming Vape Tax
2Firsts has noted that a nicotine toothpick product named Pixx has appeared on a UK retailer website. The product page describes it as a smoke-free nicotine product, and the packaging image shows “UK MADE.” A nicotine-industry professional wrote on LinkedIn that the UK is set to introduce vape tax changes that may increase pressure on the retail side, and said Pixx is expected not to be included in the upcoming vape tax.
Mar.05 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Belarus opts for stricter regulation instead of full e-cigarette ban
Belarus opts for stricter regulation instead of full e-cigarette ban
Belarus rejects full e-cigarette ban, opts for stricter regulation. Officials plan to restrict wholesaling and strengthen import and production permits.
Mar.04 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Imperial Brands Expands Blu Fruit-Flavour Offerings Following Consumer Preference Data
Imperial Brands Expands Blu Fruit-Flavour Offerings Following Consumer Preference Data
Imperial Brands has announced the launch of a new Sour Berry flavour for its Blu vape range. The product will launch across retail this month, with both the Blu bar kit and Blu pod pack carrying a recommended retail price of GBP 5.99 (approximately USD 7.79, based on 1 GBP ≈ 1.30 USD).
Apr.03 by 2FIRSTS.ai
West Virginia Governor Signs Bill Directing USD 2.9 Million From Juul Settlement to Youth Tobacco Prevention
West Virginia Governor Signs Bill Directing USD 2.9 Million From Juul Settlement to Youth Tobacco Prevention
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network said West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey has signed House Bill 5691 into law, directing USD 2.9 million from the Juul settlement to youth tobacco prevention and programs that help people quit. The bill is a supplemental appropriation measure, and the Legislature’s bill history shows it passed the House on March 11, passed the Senate on March 13 and was sent to the governor on March 18.
Mar.20 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Thailand’s National Health Commission Office Reviews Two Years of E-Cigarette Control Efforts and Plans Further Recommendations
Thailand’s National Health Commission Office Reviews Two Years of E-Cigarette Control Efforts and Plans Further Recommendations
Thailand’s National Health Commission Office and partner agencies held a public policy forum on March 13 to review results from the past two years of efforts to protect children and youth from e-cigarettes and to prepare recommendations for submission to the National Health Commission.
Mar.17 by 2FIRSTS.ai
New York Proposal to Tax Nicotine Pouches at 75% Draws Opposition
New York Proposal to Tax Nicotine Pouches at 75% Draws Opposition
A proposal by New York Governor Kathy Hochul to impose a steep tax on nicotine pouches has drawn opposition from law-enforcement officials and business groups, who say it could expand the state’s illicit tobacco market. The measure was included in Hochul’s preliminary two-year USD 260 billion budget plan and would treat nicotine pouches like other tobacco products.
Mar.17 by 2FIRSTS.ai