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Apparently, Philip Morris’s New Year’s resolution is to help you quit smoking and maybe, why not, convince you to switch to electronic cigarettes instead.
The largest publicly traded tobacco company announced Thursday that it plans to put on hold cigarette sales in the U.K. soon. However, that will be easier said than done since the company expects huge customer backlash.
The firm also plans to launch a new website with helpful tips for quitting smoking and detailed info on the alternatives.
Philip Morris also pledged to invests millions of dollars in the U.K. government’s efforts to help people quit. The U.K. has the highest smoking rates in Europe. The company also seeks regulatory approval for inserting info on smoke cessation and e-cigarettes into cigarette packs.
We believe we have an important role to play in helping the U.K. become smoke-free,
the company wrote in a formal letter to the U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May.
Critics Are Unimpressed
However, anti Big Tobacco’s advocates were unimpressed. A spokesperson for the American Lung Association compared Philip Morris with a “convicted racketeer” that promises once more to change his ways. Smoke cessation advocates warned that Philip Morris is still doing tons of cash out of the tobacco business, which include cigars and electronic cigarettes.
Philip Morris claims that e-cigs can help people quit smoking, while critics claim that the electronic devices get teens hooked on tobacco and represents a gateway to smoking. What’s more, tobacco critics say that there is no scientific evidence to back the claims that e-cigarettes can help smokers quit.
Still, Philip Morris has obtained regulatory approval for a new tech dubbed iQOS in two dozen states. The tech reportedly reduces the number of poisonous byproducts of cigarettes smoke. The company now seeks regulatory approval for the U.S.A.
Image Source: Wikimedia
