AI in smoke-free world

STOCKHOLM – After attending the just concluded “Technovation” event held in Geneva, we flew here to complete the “smoke-free journey” started in 2014 by the Philip Morris International (PMI). Being capped here in the capital city of Stockholm, PMI considers Sweden as the “poster child” of their corporate vision of “smoke-free future” where the smokeless tobacco called “snus” is credited for the dramatic decline of cigarette-smoking among Swedes.

A traditional Scandinavian tobacco, snus is processed before orally taken in pouches. Snus is Sweden’s largest smoke-free, nicotine-based product manufactured by the PMI-acquired Swedish Match AB. With the $16-billion takeover of the nicotine pouch-making company in 2022, Sweden became “a global smoke-free champion.” 

Branded as ZYN, the PMI produces snus in nicotine pouches along with IQOS brand of heated tobacco product (HTP) popularly used in the US and Europe by consumers switching from cigarettes or other traditional tobacco products. Both Switzerland – where the PMI has its headquarters – and Sweden are members of the European Union (EU).

The PMI cited Sweden as one of the few countries in Europe with “forward-thinking governments” that recognize scientifically evidenced, less harmful alternatives to smoking play a vital role to accelerate the decline of smoking cigarettes. Patrick Hildinsson, vice president for communications and public affairs explained the cigarette smoking prevalence in Sweden is by far the lowest in the 27-member States of the EU. 

In fact, Hildinsson cited, Sweden “is about to become the first smoke-free” in the world soon. As of latest government studies, only 5.6 percent of the more than 10.6 million population of Sweden smoke cigarettes. The government of Sweden targets to achieve “smoke-free future” by the year 2030 when cigarette stick products no longer exist.          

Hildinsson believes though Sweden might be able to do it “within a very near future, maybe even by next year.” His optimism stems from a legislative measure on their country’s National Tobacco Strategy pending before the Swedish Parliament. As the guide to Swedish policymakers, it seeks updating by government in implementing tobacco harm reduction. Among others, it proposes to provide additional incentives to help smokers transition to snus, IQOS, and other non-smoking alternative products such as lowering taxes down to consumers.

A constitutional monarchy, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden exercises ceremonial functions while the political power rests upon Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and the Swedish Parliament. “In Sweden, we’re born free but heavily taxed,” Hildinsson wisecracked. Levity aside, he added, tobacco policymaking in Sweden is “very regulated” and is a country ranked highly by the World Health Organization (WHO) for implementing comprehensive tobacco control measures.         

Jacek Olczak, PMI chief executive officer, acknowledged the close collaboration of the Swedish government with its people to achieve the common desire to provide less harmful alternatives to smoking cigarettes. 

Olczak underscored public health needs innovative State policies that encourage smokers to switch and for companies to invest in less harmful alternatives to smoking. 

Olczak pointed to other countries that still ban the sale of “smoke-free” alternatives like snus, IQOS, and other HTPs-also called as “heat-not-burn” products. These countries virtually allow the sale of illicit cigarette products that come mostly from smuggled sources, the PMI CEO noted with dismay. Olczak named France, India, Turkey where he lamented their governments not only expose their people to consume cigarette products of questionable quality and safety standards but also result to huge revenue losses in terms of unpaid taxes in their own respective countries.

“You can regulate that exists but you cannot regulate that don’t exist,” the PMI CEO rued.

Vassilis Gkatzelis, PMI president for East Asia, Australia & PMI Duty Free, echoed the same sentiments on “biases” of government regulations even in advanced countries in the EU. “In order to do what is right and not what is easy, we have to keep the regulators and politicians to act based on science and based on facts and hold them accountable,” Gkatzelis urged. 

Gkatzelis hailed the Sweden experience of pushing hard for the EU to exempt their country from the ban on the sale of snus. He quoted a wisecracking, un-named international politician: “The United States is good in innovating; Chinese is good in replicating; EU is good in regulating.” 

At the “Technovation,” the Philippines was also featured in video presentation as one of the model countries for embracing tobacco harm reduction measures. Although not specified, it obviously refers to government public health policies embedded in several landmark laws and tax laws. 

The Philippines notably has the most stringent laws against smoking cigarettes in public places. The ban has been expanded to include use of vapes. We also have the “Sin Tax Law” that imposed higher rates of excise taxes on the sale of all cigarette products. And the most recent one was Republic Act 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act. Called for short as the Vape Law, it prohibits the sale and promotion of vape products within 100 meters of activity areas frequented by minors below 18 years old.         

In exclusive sit-down interview with the Philippine media delegation, PMI vice president for international communications and engagement, Tommaso Di Giovanni acknowledged the Philippines as “the premiere in legislation and pioneering” in coming out with tobacco-related laws in the Southeast Asia region. Di Giovanni hailed as “visionary approach” in the laws passed by the Philippine Congress in giving Filipino smokers access and options to less harmful smoke-free alternatives.          

From their end, he mentioned, the PMI has been using artificial intelligence (AI) in helping government authorities in tracking down illicit trade of cigarettes, or smuggling activities. The PMI’s continuing investments to research and development have so far successfully applied AI technology in the latest IQOS Iluma i that allows users to pause and resume. Thus, AI personalizes their smoke-free moment.

Di Giovanni further revealed the PMI is developing more sophisticated AI to help detect and prevent access of minors to their smoke-free products. In line with the health and safety standards of the WHO, the use of AI will define what is a smoke-free world.