Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) is calling on policymakers, regulators, public health advocates, tobacco companies, and activists to unite behind bringing about the end of cigarette smoking, the company said in a press release.
As the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) convenes to discuss global challenges, the company is releasing a white paper, Rethinking Disruption: Innovating for Better in an Era of Division, which previews select findings from a new international survey highlighting the broad societal support for disruptive innovations to improve public health and address other critical issues. The white paper explores how the world’s most significant challenges—including smoking—can be solved through pragmatic solutions and decisive, concerted action.

The survey respondents (17,207 adults aged 21 and older in 14 countries) believe that the development and adoption of new technologies, innovations, and capabilities can enable significant progress against a range of issues over the next 10 to 20 years, including:

Encouraging healthier eating habits (78 per cent)
Ensuring quality and affordable healthcare for all (72 per cent)
Reducing smoking rates (65 per cent)
Eliminating hunger and malnourishment (62 per cent)

“We believe that there exists a real opportunity for activists, public health leaders, and policymakers to significantly improve public health by helping millions of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke switch to better alternatives,” said Jacek Olczak, CEO, PMI. “For more than a decade, PMI has been transforming for good, directing our resources and energy to provide better options to adult smokers and deliver a smoke-free future as quickly as possible. Though the best choice is never to start smoking or to quit if you do, we know that, realistically, many smokers will not quit—and, frankly, those adults deserve better.”
Senior PMI executives, including Jacek Olczak, will address international forums during the week of September 19, talking about the pressing need for collaboration on solutions that are real, practical, and grounded in science to achieve meaningful progress in the tobacco sector and beyond.

Events include:
September 20: CEO Jacek Olczak will address the 2022 Concordia Annual Summit on the topic of “Driving Change in the Age of Disruption.”
September 20: SVP, External Affairs Grégoire Verdeaux will join the Diplomatic Courier for a panel discussion on “The Global Goals in Action 2022: Reduced Inequalities.”
September 21: Deepak Mishra, President, Americas Region, will join Recount Media for a breakfast panel titled, “From Disruption to Progress—Innovating for Better in the Age of Division.”
September 22: CEO Jacek Olczak will be a panelist at a custom event with the Wall Street Journal on “Disruption 2.0: Build Up Not Break Down.”
September 22: CEO Jacek Olczak will participate in the Leaders on Purpose CEO Summit, addressing the “Transition on Purpose: Leading Systemic Business Model Transformation in Times of Disruption.”