America Can Stop Smoking
By Deepak Mishra, President, Americas Region, Philip Morris International
Why do 34 million Americans still smoke cigarettes?
Like a lot of ex-smokers, I know it can be hard to stop but each year many people do. An outdated approach by those in power has made it even harder for those Americans who do not quit to move away from cigarettes because it prevents them from learning about all available alternatives to continued smoking.
What can the United States learn from countries with the lowest smoking rates?
When innovative, scientifically substantiated smoke-free products are available, they work. Worldwide, millions of people have used them to make a better choice than continuing to smoke. Countries such as Japan and Sweden dramatically reduced their adult smoking rates by ensuring adults have access to and accurate information about better, smoke-free alternatives.
What or who needs to change to accelerate America’s progress?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs to help the 34 million American smokers who don’t quit have access to and accurate information about a wide range of smoke-free products through a review process that maintains scientific rigor but is fast and predictable.
U.S. public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and the FDA, should provide adult smokers with clear, consistent and accurate information about smoke-free alternatives and how they differ from cigarettes by avoiding the combustion of tobacco.
All of us—regulators, policymakers and tobacco companies—must cooperate to guard against underage use by prioritizing enhanced age-verification technologies, retailer compliance and responsible marketing.
Is it possible to singlehandedly put an end to cigarettes?
No.
Philip Morris International is fully committed to leaving cigarettes behind. We’ve invested over $9 billion in researching, developing and commercializing smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes—and are building our company’s future around them. But we can’t do it alone. All relevant parties need to work together to achieve our collective goal: the end of cigarette sales.
Learn more about Philip Morris International’s goal for a smoke-free world here.
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