Campaigners target Philip Morris’ flagship heated tobacco US launch
Rumney E. (Reuters): Campaigners target Philip Morris’ flagship heated tobacco US launch. July 16, 20247:19 PM
LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) – Health campaigners have written to U.S. regulators accusing Philip Morris International of misrepresenting past regulatory decisions, seeking to disrupt the launch of its flagship heated tobacco device IQOS in the United States.
The world’s biggest tobacco company by market value has spent billions of dollars developing the product, which investors see as key to driving future growth. However, it needs permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to sell it in the world’s second-largest tobacco market by revenue.
Six anti-tobacco and health groups, including the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Lung Association, wrote to the FDA to oppose IQOS-related applications PMI has submitted to the agency.
“PMI has repeatedly made misleading and deceptive statements wrongly suggesting that the FDA has found that IQOS reduces the risk of disease,” the letter dated June 27 and reviewed by Reuters said.
Note: The tobacco industry constantly develops science for profit to legitimize their submissions to regulators. This has continued with menthol and flavored products and the range of alternative products they are generating to maintain and foster existing and new customers’ addiction to nicotine.
Stephen Hamann
