How we are combatting underage use of our smoke-free products
Those under the legal age should NOT use any tobacco or nicotine-containing product. As a company, we have a critical role in guarding against underage access.
So real-world evidence is showing us that these products can help lower the number of smoking-related diseases, but they’re still not risk-free. And as a huge multinational company, these products are in markets across the globe.
What are you doing to stop underage use? These products we produce are for adults only. We have very strict controls in terms of limiting the access of youth to these products. We develop our communication, which is clearly geared just to the adults.
In all of our own retail channels, we have age verification to make sure that it’s just the adult person who has access to these products, and we work with all our partners, such as distributors and the others, to follow the same principles.
Youth access prevention is key to our business
Find out why we take youth access prevention so seriously and what we're doing to stop those under the legal age accessing our products.
Stacey Kennedy, President, Americas Region and CEO of PMI’s U.S. business, speaks to camera:
We have a whole robust plan around how we make sure that we are not attracting unintended audiences, particularly youth.
Stefano Volpetti, President, Smoke-Free Inhaled Products and Chief Consumer Officer, speaks to camera:
First, we start by designing our smoke-free products for adult smokers in every single detail, from product to packaging to labelling.
Stacey Kennedy continues:
We have our own marketing code of conduct that makes sure that we’re monitoring who's consuming our products and making sure that it is not youth.
Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer, speaks to camera:
So, I think it is absolutely perfectly doable to protect the youth, the underage people, while at the same time help the adult smokers.
Stefano Volpetti continues:
But this cannot be done by one company alone.
To create such an immense shift, it is important to have the right regulatory framework and the right support from civil society.
Philip Morris International logo is seen on screen.
How we guard against underage access to our products
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We direct marketing of our products to adult smokers and users of nicotine products.
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In 2024, 99 percent of our total shipment volume was covered by youth access prevention programs in our indirect retail channels.
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We continue to look for, test, learn, and develop technology to guard against unintended access to product information, purchase, and use to prevent anyone under the legal age from initiating or using our smoke-free devices.
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We use careful product design and labeling. The packaging of smoke-free products clearly indicates that they are only for adults.
Marketing our smoke-free products responsibly
Gizelle Baker, PMI Global Vice President for Scientific Engagement explains how our smoke-free products are only meant for adult smokers and other nicotine users, and outlines the measures we take to prevent others from accessing them.
Words appear on screen reading:
Let’s talk with Gizelle Baker
Interviewer asks:
Let's look at the way that
These (smoke-free) products are marketed though,
because that is a concerning issue for people.
These products are seen to be glamorized.
In fact, people could say that
Philip Morris is just going back to the old days
of traditional tobacco marketing
when it comes to these products.
Gizelle Baker, Vice President Scientific Engagement, Philip Morris International, replies:
Well, I think we should first
take a step back and look at what
people's complaints are.
I understand, and there is a concern.
We absolutely do not want people
seeing these things in a glamorous way.
And therefore, you need to make sure that you're
marketing these things responsibly.
Who gets access to the marketing?
Limiting access to the product itself.
Making sure you have proper age
verification and access prevention
type things in place to make sure that these products
make it into the hands of adults who smoke.
And we need to get people away from cigarettes
as fast as possible and as many
away from cigarettes as possible.
So, in order to do that,
and when you think about how you're
going to do a behavioral change
on that scale, you need to first look at
what are the things that people like about smoking.
How can we deliver that,
but with lower amounts of harm?
So, smoking is a very social behavior.
We're trying to create
a social human experience
for people who are seeking that,
where they get to try the product,
become aware of it, and hopefully
make a successful switch away
from cigarettes in an environment
that supports them in doing so.
And then you layer on top of that:
Who do we not want to see?
We do not want underage people
being part of that experience.
So, you put age gates in place.
You send your invites to adult
smokers or adult nicotine users.
We need to support the people
who are smoking or would otherwise
continue to smoke to make this change,
which we know is difficult.
And to be able to succeed at.
Words appear on screen reading:
This video is for informational purposes only
on the nicotine pouch category manufactures
under strict standards.
It has no commercial intent
and does not promote product use.
Nicotine is addictive and not risk-free.
Philip Morris International's logo appears on screen.
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