Philip Morris, one of the world's largest tobacco companies, supports banning cigarette sales by 2030. Its CEO recently made this case in a major British newspaper.
Alongside China National Tobacco Corporation, Philip Morris (part of Altria Group) ranks among the top global cigarette producers. In a July 24, 2021, The Telegraph article, CEO Jacek Olczak urged the UK government to ban cigarette sales within a decade.
Olczak stated it's now possible to envision a world without cigarettes—and the sooner, the better. He compared it to the UK's plan to phase out petrol and diesel car sales by 2030, arguing a cigarette ban would clarify options for smokers who mistakenly view tobacco alternatives as more harmful.
Moira Gilchrist, Philip Morris's vice president of scientific communications, emphasized that quitting smoking entirely is ideal. Otherwise, the company guides users toward "healthier alternatives" like IQOS, which heats tobacco without combustion to reduce harmful effects.
Philip Morris is shifting to smoke-free, reduced-nicotine products, targeting 50% of profits from these by 2050. In June 2021, it acquired Fertin Pharma (nicotine gum) and Vectura (respiratory therapies).
Critics remain skeptical. BBC reported on July 28 that Deborah Arnott of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) questioned the credibility of a firm selling one in ten cigarettes worldwide. Smokers' group Forest called it a "race to imbecility" on July 26, warning it could drive demand for contraband from criminal networks.
