Smoking-related risks and the need for smoke-free alternatives

    Smoking tobacco causes a number of serious diseases. The best way for adult smokers to reduce their risks of smoking-related diseases, such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular diseases, is to quit tobacco and nicotine altogether. However, evidence has shown that many people don’t quit. 

    One billion people continue to smoke, and based on current trends, this figure is not expected to change in the near future. Science and technology can play a role in moving adult smokers who don’t quit from the most harmful way of nicotine consumption, smoking. 

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    What is harm reduction?

    Basics of tobacco harm reduction

    There is a growing consensus that, for adult smokers who don’t quit, completely switching to tobacco- or nicotine-containing products that do not burn tobacco has the potential to present less risk of harm than continued smoking. Learn what role smoke-free products have in tobacco harm reduction.

    Absence of combustion

    Impact of combustion

    Decades of scientific research show that the primary cause of smoking-related diseases is the high levels of harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in smoke formed during the burning process. 

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    Nicotine

    Role of nicotine in harm reduction

    While addictive and not risk free, nicotine is not the main cause of smoking-related diseases and plays a crucial role in tobacco harm reduction. Discover the role of nicotine in smoke-free products.

    Tar

    Cigarette tar

    There is a public health and scientific consensus that tar is not an accurate or precise indicator of risk or harm, and that reporting of tar measurements can be misleading to consumers.

    Learn what tar is, and why reporting tar measurements can be misleading
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    TOBACCO REGULATION

    Smoke-free products regulation

    Offering smoke-free alternatives to adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke can have a positive impact on public health. Learn more about global regulatory approaches and governmental perspectives on smoke-free products. 

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    PMIScience.com is operated by Philip Morris International for the purpose of publishing and disseminating scientific information about Philip Morris International’s efforts in support of its smoke-free product portfolio. This site is a global site for use by scientists, the public health and regulatory communities, and other stakeholders with an interest in tobacco policy. The purpose of this site is not advertising or marketing, nor is it directed at any specific market. It is not intended for use by consumers. New tobacco products sold in the United States are subject to FDA regulation; therefore the content of this site is not intended to make, and nor should it be construed as making, any product related claims in the United States without proper FDA authorization. ​
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    Reduced Risk Products ("RRPs”) is the term we use 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 these products versus continuing smoking. PMI has a range of RRPs in various stages of development, scientific assessment and commercialization. All of our RRPs are smoke-free products that deliver nicotine with far lower quantities of harmful and potentially harmful constituents than found in cigarette smoke.