Philip Morris's fight against public health

An investigation published in the newspaper Le Monde on April 14, 2021[1] denounces the efforts of the cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris International (PMI) in its "war" against the World Health Organization (WHO) and tobacco control experts.

The journalists in this investigation point to the existence of two internal documents from the tobacco company made public by a previous investigation by their colleagues at Reuters in 2017, which "depicted a company seeking tools to combat its 'denormalization' and 'demonization.'" Among them are the "reduced-risk" products that the tobacco company wants to use to position itself "as an indispensable, trusted partner, leading its sector, providing solutions." But to achieve this, it would have to "be 'for' something" and "establish a positive and proactive platform."

So, in search of credibility and scientific validation, Philip Morris is working to communicate through personalities like Derek Yach and David Khayat.[2]-[3] to provide scientific support for the promotion of its new products and uses a foundation: the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World.

Derek Yach, current president of the Smoke-Free World Foundation, is the former Executive Director for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative. He is a world-renowned public health expert and one of the contributors to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)Derek Yach, who left WHO to join PepsiCola, was recruited by PMI in 2015 to become the new face of the tobacco company's "smoke-free world."

The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, Philip Morris International's front man

The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World describes itself as "an independent, non-profit organization" created and "operated without the control or influence of any third party." It states that it "makes grants and supports medical, agricultural, and scientific research activities to end tobacco use and its health effects." In reality, the Foundation was created with funding from PMI, which pledged to contribute $1.48 billion annually for the next twelve years, starting in 2018, with specific contributions based on the Foundation's "needs and operations." The tobacco company remains the Foundation's sole funder to this day. Moreover, analysis of the Foundation's tax returns reveals that grants and contributions are not primarily focused on funding scientific research, but rather appear to be dedicated to public relations and advocacy strategies.

A discourse on risk reduction that serves the interests of industry

Global sales of manufactured cigarettes have fallen by 20% in high-income countries, the tobacco industry's largest financial market. To offset these losses, the industry has invested heavily in "new" products and its "harm reduction" strategy. For seven years now, PMI has relied on its heated tobacco device, which the industry itself claims is 90% to 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes. To date, however, no independent study has been able to demonstrate that the use of heated tobacco is associated with harm reduction. The industry is using the "harm reduction" label as its main marketing argument and is trying to restore its reputation in order to influence public health policies.

Opening a breach in the WHO Framework Convention

This initiative by PMI, through the Smokefree World Foundation, which the tobacco company funds, is part of an overall strategy aimed at circumventing the provisions put in place by countries under the WHO FCTC. Article 5.3 of the FCTC stipulates that governments, as a whole, must protect public policies from any interference by the tobacco industry. PMI's goal is also to undermine the implementation of the treaty, particularly through the Foundation's controversial research programs. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Derek Yach requested a free pass from the WHO, calling for a revision of Article 5.3 of the Convention, which discourages researchers and governments from collaborating with them. By directly attacking Article 5.3, the tobacco industry is seeking to regain its seat at the negotiating table to position itself as a credible player in public health and appear to be a force for proposals and "solutions" to combat the tobacco epidemic of which it is the cause.

[1] Stéphane Horel, Philip Morris's Secret War Against the WHO and Tobacco Control Experts, Le Monde, April 14, 2021, consulted on April 15, 2021

[2] Tobacco Free Generation, David Khayat, former Mr. Cancer in the service of the tobacco industry, April 15, 2021, consulted the same day

[3] Stéphane Horel, David Khayat, a "Mr. Cancer" as a tobacco industry salesman, Le Monde, April 14, 2021, consulted on April 15, 2021