According to German media FinanzNachrichten.de, on August 6th, Philip Morris International (PMI) has invested $600 million in Colorado, USA. The company plans to establish a highly modern smokeless nicotine pouch production facility in the city of Aurora, Colorado within the next two years.
Philip Morris International (PMI) is responding to the growing global demand for smoke-free nicotine products. However, in Germany, nicotine pouches still lack legal regulation, hindering their safe sale and product standards in the country. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) conducted an evaluation in 2022 and determined that "switching from cigarettes to nicotine pouches could reduce health risks for smokers.
Due to reduced-harm products such as smokeless nicotine pouches, the number of smokers in the United States is decreasing. In recent years, an increasing number of smokers have been turning to reduced-harm alternatives. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2022, only 11% of adult Americans smoke, compared to over 20% in 2005.
In the United States, the number of smokers has dropped to a historic low, according to a study by a German medical journal in 2023. However, Germany has not seen a similar positive trend in smoking rates, which have remained consistently high at over 30% for many years. One reason for this may be the lack of regulatory framework for harm reduction products such as nicotine pouches.
Torsten Albig, the General Manager of External Affairs for Philip Morris International (PMI) Germany, stated:
For years, German politics have hindered adult smokers from legally accessing nicotine pouches as a harm reduction alternative, leading to a black market. Germany is still waiting for necessary regulations. The sales of nicotine pouches, especially in terms of their ingredients and youth protection, must eventually be regulated by law and establish these products as alternatives to smoking. In 2021, the Consumer Protection Ministerial Conference decided to regulate nicotine pouches in the tobacco law, but the federal government has yet to implement it. The example of the United States demonstrates that, through the right regulatory framework, not only can smoking rates be lowered, but positive economic benefits can also be generated.
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