Frequently Asked Questions

We sell over 130 brands. Our cigarette portfolio is led by Marlboro, the world’s best-selling international cigarette.

Our products are sold in over 180 markets. In many of these we hold the number-one or number-two position by market share.

Cigarettes are produced in factories around the world. The main steps involved are processing the tobacco leaf, manufacturing the actual cigarettes, and packaging them.

We produce over 800 billion cigarettes each year in factories around the world.

The ingredients we add to many of our brands keep the tobacco moist, aid the manufacturing process, replenish natural sugars lost during leaf curing, and contribute to each brand’s unique taste.

Yes, smoking is harmful. Cigarette smoking causes serious disease and is addictive.

Yes, cigarettes are addictive. They contain nicotine, which is an addictive compound found naturally in tobacco leaves.

We’re dedicated to doing something very dramatic – replacing cigarettes with the smoke-free products that we’re developing and selling.

Our entire R&D organization is focused on developing satisfying products that are less harmful than cigarettes for adult smokers around the world.

Our portfolio currently consists of four smoke-free products. Two of them heat tobacco, the other two produce a nicotine-containing vapor without using tobacco.

IQOS is a tobacco heating system.

There is no global standard on where consumers can enjoy our smoke-free products such as IQOS or e-cigarettes.

IQOS is not an acronym but a brand name, created to denote an innovative product.

HEETS, also known as HeatSticks in some markets, is a specially designed product that contains tobacco and is intended for exclusive use with the IQOS holder.

TEEPS is one of our heated tobacco products. It is carbon-heated and has a look and feel comparable to a cigarette, but it is not a cigarette.

MESH is our next generation e-vapor product that uses a new approach to vapor generation.

STEEM is a tobacco-free product currently under development.

We use the term reduced-risk products (RRPs) to refer to products that present, are likely to present, or have the potential to present less risk of harm to smokers who switch to those products versus continued smoking.

E-cigarettes, also called electronic cigarettes, are a popular smoke-free category of products without tobacco.

Yes, we sell e-cigarettes in various countries. MESH is our next generation e-vapor product that uses a new approach to vapor generation.

Vaping typically describes the use of a smoke-free product that forms a vapor that is inhaled by a consumer. 

The difference between vaping and smoking lies in the characteristics of the aerosol that's inhaled.

Illegal tobacco trade is a global issue, with links to organized crime and terrorism.

Cigarettes are among the most illegally trafficked goods in the world

If you are unsure whether you bought an illegal tobacco product, we recommend that you call your local consumer hotline.

We’ve set ambitious sustainability targets and have made great progress.

With our Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), we have put in place regulations and measurable standards that must be met by all who grow and supply tobacco to PMI.

We are strongly committed to the development and growth of the local communities where we operate or source tobacco.

We have ambitious targets to reduce emissions, including a long-term commitment to tackle climate change.

Together with the NGO Verité, we have developed a comprehensive approach to addressing child labor wherever we source tobacco.

In 2016, we contributed nearly USD 30 million to causes and programs to improve the livelihoods of the communities where we operate or source tobacco.

If you would like to share your idea with us, please go to the Idea Submission Portal on our website. Please note that we do not accept unsolicited ideas by e-mail.

Visit the careers section on our website to browse our current job listings.

Contact our customer services team so that we can address your complaint.