Since then, it has pivoted to claiming the future of tobacco is in alternatives to cigarettes, such as its IQOS product, which heats a plug of tobacco to release fumes without actually burning it.
While the IQOS device may emit fewer toxic chemicals compared to cigarettes, the Atlantic reported in 2019 that many health experts are skeptical that “heat-not-burn†products are actually safer than traditional smoking.
Chris Bostic, deputy director of public policy at Action on Smoking and Health, told the Atlantic those studies could be dismissed entirely and PMI’s claims to be fighting for a smoke-free future is “an absurd PR stunt.†(At that time, in 2019, PMI was not advocating for a ban on cigarettes.).