During the event in Neuchâtel, Philip Morris presented data and scenarios for a transition beyond smoking, between science and regulation 

On May 27, 2025, Technovetion, an event entirely dedicated to innovation and technology, was held at The Cube, Philip Morris International's R&D center in Neuchâtel. Transition to a smoke-free future. The meeting therefore brought together the company's top management and several industry experts to address key issues in the fight against smoking: the role of technological innovation, the importance of access to correct information on reduced-risk products, the need for a balanced regulatory approach and the fight against illicit trade.

After the initial greetings of Tommaso Di Giovanni, Vice President Communications and Engagement, the CEO Jacek Olczak reiterated that change is inevitable: responsible regulation and access to better alternatives are key to accelerating the transition to a smoke-free society. Following, Stefano Volpetti, President Smoke-Free Products & Chief Consumer Officer, highlighted the growing prevalence of products such as IQOS and ZYN, emphasizing the need to provide consumers with accurate information. Gizelle Baker, Vice President Scientific Communications, instead addressed the issue of nicotine, which is often misunderstood, while Vassilis Gkatzelis has explored the differences between regulatory approaches that hinder or encourage innovation.

The event ended with a interactive exhibition dedicated to smoke-free products, the company's sustainability strategy and the fight against illicit trade. Among the various sections, there is also a guided experience that, thanks to the use of virtual reality, accompanied visitors through the main false myths related to alternative smoking products.

Beyond the Product: Helping Smokers Choose and Governments Decide

During his speech, Jacek Olczak said Innovation has the potential to solve some of the world's great challenges, but without adequate public policies, progress risks slowing down. For this reason, Philip Morris International continues to invest in smokeless products, with the goal of replacing cigarettes entirely. The central message is that, under the right conditions, it is possible to dramatically reduce smoking prevalence within five to ten years in some markets.

Stefano Volpetti he instead underlined how the interest in smoke-free alternatives is constantly growing; a factor demonstrated by the commercial data of IQOS e Zyn. However, it is essential that consumers can rely on correct, understandable and non-misleading information. In other words, switching to these products may be a better choice for those who do not quit smoking, but this choice must be conscious.

Several case studies have shown the positive results obtained by public policies open to innovation. In Japan, for example, cigarette sales dropped much more rapidly after the introduction of heated tobacco products. In Sweden e Iceland, the spread of oral products such as snus and nicopouches has led to a reduction in smoking prevalence of almost 50 percent. Even the New Zealand, integrating harm reduction strategies into its policies, achieved a 52,8 percent reduction between 2013 and 2023.

When regulation hinders change…

Countries like Turkey, Brazil e Mauritius, which ban Smoke-Free Products or treat them as cigarettes, have not achieved comparable results. In Turkey, despite a series of very severe restrictions, smoking prevalence has remained above 30 percent. France, on the other hand, has seen the black market grow following the increase in taxation: today it represents almost half of total consumption. In Brazil, even though smoke-free products are banned, 7,3 percent of adults say they use them anyway, purchasing them through illegal channels and without any guarantee of quality.

According to PMI, an effective approach to regulation must combine traditional tools with new strategies that encourage the adoption of less harmful alternatives. Prohibitionist measures, in addition to being ineffective, risk pushing consumers towards illicit, uncontrolled and potentially more dangerous products.

Nicotine: Between Real Misinformation and Harm Reduction Potential

In the panel “Myths vs. Facts on Nicotine", Gizelle Baker reiterated that nicotine is a substance naturally present in tobacco and in some common plants, such as tomatoes and eggplants. Although it is responsible for addiction, it is not the main cause of smoking-related diseases. The real culprit is the combustion process, which releases over 6.000 chemicals, including approximately 60 carcinogens.

Already in 2017 the former commissioner of the FDA Scott Gottlieb he declared in an interview with CNBC:

“It is not nicotine that kills, but all the other carcinogens released by lighting tobacco”

The same position is shared by bodies such as Health Canada and the US FDA, Canadian e Rainforest respectively, which have approved smoke-free products as modified risk. Yet, according to a review of 54 studies, the public continues to mistakenly attribute nicotine as the primary culprit in smoking-related illnesses.

According to numerous experts, including Clive Bates, former director of the British organization Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), nicotine can play an important role in harm reduction policies. Although it is not without risks (it can increase blood pressure or heart rate), it is the element that allows combustion-free products to be acceptable to those who would otherwise continue to smoke. For this reason, an effective strategy should not aim for a “nicotine-free” society, but a “smoke-free” one.

Smoke-free products replicate the sensory experience of cigarettes, making them a more realistic choice for millions of adult smokers. According to the principle of harm reduction, a regulated and informed use of nicotine compared to maintaining the consumption of combustible cigarettes. Public health policies should therefore aim to reduce the health consequences of smoking, encouraging the switch to less harmful products and providing correct information to consumers, rather than focusing exclusively on nicotine elimination.

Tommaso Di Giovanni's appeal: "inform, innovate, act"

Among the most decisive voices on the subject of change, that of Tommaso Di Giovanni, Vice President Communications and Engagement at PMI, stands out for his clarity. In a recent editorial published by the company, he emphasizes:

“We envision a future where smoking is obsolete: a time not too far away when the demand for cigarettes has evaporated and smokers have either quit altogether or switched to a better alternative. This future is within reach, thanks to innovation, science and investment.”

According to Di Giovanni, where governments favor the adoption of non-combustion alternatives, smoking declines more rapidly. On the contrary, “choosing inaction is equivalent to slowing down progress”. For PMI, it is time to close the gap between countries that allow access to these solutions and those that block it.

Philip Morris Technovation: Overcoming Myths for a Smoke-Free Future

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