STAMFORD, Conn.– A new international survey by Povaddo, commissioned by Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM), shows strong global support for giving adult smokers access to smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes and growing concern that public health decisions are being shaped by ideology rather than science.
According to the survey, 78 percent of adults agree that smokers should have access to better alternatives, while nearly three-quarters (74 percent) believe encouraging people to switch to these products can help improve public health. At the same time, 76 percent of respondents expressed concern that governments are basing decisions on ideology instead of scientific evidence. Nearly eight in 10 (78 percent) want governments to first consider scientific data—particularly how smoke-free alternatives have helped reduce smoking rates in other countries—before imposing restrictions.
This sentiment is particularly strong in markets where some or all smoke-free products are banned, including Argentina (83 percent), Brazil (82 percent) and India (94 percent).
“Progress matters. Countries that embrace smoke-free products have seen declines in cigarette sales and smoking rates,” said Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer of Philip Morris International. “There is strong demand globally for governments to adopt fact-based policies that keep pace with innovation and deliver better outcomes for society.”
The survey also highlighted widespread frustration with current policies. Sixty-one percent of adults agreed it is wrong for governments to restrict or ban smoke-free alternatives while cigarettes remain legal, while 61 percent also called it a public health failure that nearly 30 percent of the global adult population lives in countries where such products are unavailable. Four in five (80 percent) believe public health organizations have a duty to present all evidence on smoke-free alternatives rather than selectively citing data.
Currently, more than 190 million smokers across more than 20 countries—almost one in five globally—do not have legal access to smoke-free products, even as cigarettes remain widely available. In many of these markets, smoking rates have stagnated despite bans on advertising, high excise taxes, plain packaging, and restrictions on flavors.
