Smoking tobacco causes a number of serious diseases and increases the risk of early death.
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.
About 1 billion people continue to smoke and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the number of smokers will remain high for the foreseeable future. Science and technology can and must play a role in devising solutions to this problem.
Get a closer look at our ambition to deliver a smoke-free future with this interactive tool.
Get the basics of tobacco harm reduction
There is a growing consensus that for adult smokers, 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 why combustion is the primary problem with cigarettes
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.
Know the role of nicotine in tobacco harm reduction
Nicotine is addictive and not risk free. It is also not the primary cause of smoking related diseases. In fact, nicotine is an important part of tobacco harm reduction.
Learn what role Smoke-Free Products have in Tobacco Harm Reduction
For smokers who won’t quit, switching to a product that doesn’t burn tobacco is a better choice than continuing to smoke cigarettes.
What is 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.
Read our regulatory submissions
Offering smoke-free alternatives to adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke can have a positive impact on public health. Our comprehensive body of scientific evidence for our leading smoke-free product has been submitted to regulatory bodies in several countries.
We would be happy to hear from you
Whether you have a question, a comment, or an idea, send us a message. Open dialogue is something we are passionate about, and we would like to know your views.