Point by Point Responses to Questions Put to Philip Morris International by the Channel 4 'Dispatches' Programme
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POINT BY POINT RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS PUT TO PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL BY THE CHANNEL 4 ‘DISPATCHES’ PROGRAMME Channel 4 Dispatches: Attribution: Dr Moira Gilchrist BSc (Hons) Pharmacy, PhD Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Secrets of Big PMI’s Vice President. Strategic & Scientific Tobacco: Has Philip Communication: Morris International Really Given Up “Globally, Philip Morris International is In the UK, Philip Morris supports the committed to achieving what governments Government’s commitment to make England Smoking? and the public health community challenged smoke-free by 2030. To realise this ambition, us to do: develop a less harmful product. To millions of current smokers need to be The program looks at Philip this end, PMI has invested billions of dollars persuaded to quit altogether or switch to Morris International’s (PMI) in science and technology to achieve that less harmful alternatives. Critical to this will “Unsmoke” campaign and precise objective. If people who smoke are be putting in place a regulatory framework the principles that underlie it, denied accurate information—or worse yet, that ensures smokers have the facts about including the company’s stated are deceived--about less harmful alternatives, alternatives and that tobacco companies are aim to “replace cigarettes with the vast majority will simply continue to pushed to phase out cigarettes. And we have smoke-free products as soon and smoke cigarettes. We have faced a number of made this point time and time again to MPs, fast as possible.” It also looks at the similar, and seemingly coordinated, allegations civil servants, local councillors, journalists marketing of IQOS as a “reduced recently. To set the record straight we have and the broader public. What this story risk” alternative to smoking and addressed allegations made against us on really shows is that Philip Morris has been the plan to deliver “a smoke our website: PMI.com. We invite everyone to consistent in its efforts to make smoke-free free future.” The programme learn the facts, study our science and arrive at 2030 a reality.” also examines whether these their own conclusions. principles are reflected in PMI’s global marketing strategy. Within this, it looks at the continued focus of PMI on the sale and promotion of conventional cigarettes in Indonesia where PMI affiliate Sampoerna is a prominent brand. The programme also explores PMI and Sampoerna’s involvement in public health policy and regulation. 1 1. Public trust in PMI: A R there have historically been We are not asking anyone to trust us. All • Nearly 10 million adults have completely issues of trust surrounding we ask is that people examine the scientific stopped smoking cigarettes and switched Big Tobacco companies. The evidence and judge us on our actions. to our electrically heated tobacco system, programme will explore such which is now available in 52 markets concerns around trust and PMI, The proof of our commitment to end the including its recent attempts to sale of cigarettes is in the numbers: • Whilst cessation is clearly the best “normalize” the brand and offer option, our market research across many alternatives to smoking. • Smoke-free products are now almost countries indicates that 80% of adults a fifth of our business—up from zero five who smoke want better alternatives years ago • In 2019, 71 percent of our commercial • Since 2008, we have invested $7.2 spend was dedicated to smoke-free billion to develop and scientifically products substantiate smoke-free alternatives These facts are the real story. A R The programme will refer to Referring to events that took place almost this framing clearly demonstrates bias the notorious public denials of 30 years ago to discredit our efforts and that you do not intend to deliver an Philip Morris executives – as today, is at best disingenuous and at worst objective, impartial assessment of the late as 1994 – in relation to risks perpetuating the outcome that no topic of the “safety of alternatives to the damaging and addictive one wants: a world with a billion smokers traditional smoking” properties of cigarettes despite in the decades to come. Your plan to use the overwhelming scientific evidence of which they were aware. A R It will also refer to the 2006 smoking causes disease, The U.S. federal legal case referenced was issued in a United States federal legal case suffering and death. Despite civil case brought by the U.S. government against the internal recognition of this fact, against a number of tobacco major U.S. cigarette manufacturers and their parent companies including Philip Morris Defendants have publicly denied, distorted and minimized the companies. Neither Philip Morris International Inc. USA (an Altria company) which (PMI) nor any PMI affiliate was a defendant in the concluded that those companies hazards of smoking for decades.” had repeatedly and knowingly lied Judge Kessler also referred to case. The case was based on a unique U.S. federal to the public about the dangers of “a massive 50 year scheme to statute and centered on allegations concerning the smoking: “Cigarette defraud the public” by those U.S. cigarette industry during the 1950s through the companies. 1990s. The 2006 trial court decision is contrary to the vast majority of decisions in tobacco litigation in the U.S. and around the world. 2 A R The programme notes that Philip We note that you intend to allege that the anything else, Philip Morris International Morris International (PMI) was 2008 spin off in which Altria disposed of its Inc., our ultimate parent company, is spun off from Altria in 2008, and shares in PMI was to enable PMI to escape incorporated in Virginia, United States, is away from the jurisdiction of the the jurisdiction of the US Courts. This is a listed on the New York Stock Exchange US courts. false and extremely prejudicial allegation, and maintains its corporate headquarters suggesting that PMI had something to at 120 Park Avenue, New York. hide and/or fear from US justice. It is without any factual basis; quite apart from A R The programme will refer to The negative characterization of We are working every day to demonstrate an internal PMI corporate “normalize” misses the point that that we have science and technology that strategy document from 2014 hundreds of millions of adults who will is already proving indispensable in helping which described a policy of otherwise keep smoking should have adults who would otherwise continue to “normalization” to “establish PMI access to better alternatives. smoke switch away from cigarettes. as a trusted and indispensable partner.” PMI appears to have To move forward in the best interests For example, a recent study from the devised an ingenious corporate of public health and adult smokers, we American Cancer Society showed that in strategy designed to protect believe that tobacco policies should Japan the introduction of our electrically its profits in a world that’s increasingly hostile to tobacco. continue to focus on keeping people from heated tobacco system has caused starting to smoke and on helping people cigarette sales to decline five times faster quit. An essential third element is to than before its introduction, without ensure that adults who continue to smoke increasing overall tobacco use [PMI have access to, and information about, Sustainability Report 2018, p33]. This smoke-free products that are a much was accomplished without a major change better choice. in national tobacco control policy. 3 2. Concerns about PMI’s ‘Smoke free future’ and alternative products, including IQOS and “heat not burn” A R The programme will question We are transitioning our Company, We understand the scepticism the veracity and truthfulness our industry, and the world away from towards our industry and have become (particularly given big tobacco’s cigarettes. Our communications and accustomed to vocal mischaracterizations history of deceit and image regulatory engagement strategy is of how we make our views known. management) of PMI’s mission completely and transparently aligned with to deliver a “smoke free future” this aim. We are working to provide better and its so-called reduced risk alternatives to smoking, which is a well- alternatives as part of its apparent recognized element of tobacco control. goal to normalize and detoxify the brand. A R PMI has created its own smoking We have transparently made our science Administration (FDA) , who looked at the replacement – IQOS – which has on IQOS publicly available and have totality of the available science—including been the subject of considerable submitted it to government agencies that of PMI and “critics” of the products— scrutiny and scientific criticism. around the world. authorized the product for sale in the United States after finding it to be We proactively sought scrutiny. “appropriate for the protection of public health” following a thorough and almost In 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug two-year long scientific review. A R We have interviewed an The premise of this allegation is wrong. PMI’s ‘Good Conversion Practices’ executive at Action on Smoking Smoking rates are declining worldwide, policy serve as the company’s bedrock and Health (ASH), a public health but there are still more than a billion for encouraging adult smokers to switch charity, who says of PMI: “Philip people on the planet who smoke today. while working to prevent unintended use Morris says it wants to end The World Health Organization predicts in the countries where we sell smoke- smoking but it only wants to do that there will still be the same number free products that do not burn tobacco. it by establishing a replacement in 5 years’ time. These people deserve In our IQOS stores, we refuse to offer market because otherwise access to the better alternatives that exist these products to people who have never basically its business comes to an right now.