The Push for a Smoke-Free Future Gains Momentum Through Innovation

At Philip Morris International’s Technovation Manila 2026, global experts discuss research and alternative nicotine products in efforts to reduce smoking-related harm.

Despite their well-known negative health effects, cigarettes continue to be a ubiquitous product across the globe. Amid international efforts to address this issue, Philip Morris International (PMFTC) believes that pivoting to alternative nicotine products is key to achieving a smoke-free future. 

PMFTC launched its very first Technovation in Manila at the Marriott Grand Ballroom. The event is a series of conferences featuring leading experts on smoking to showcase the company’s shift away from cigarettes toward better alternatives. Iterations of the event have been held across the world since 2019 in cities such as Dubai, Washington, D.C., and Buenos Aires. 

PMFTC brought together experts from across the world to discuss the importance of innovation and research in order to reduce the use of smoke products. “Innovation begins with the willingness to challenge what we know,” says Atty. Chita Herce, PMFTC senior director of corporate affairs in the Philippines.

A lawyer who is bridging the gap between PMFTC and the local government and industries to create more science-driven solutions for smoking, Herce urges people to remain open-minded to the idea that stringent smoking bans do not necessarily lead to fewer smokers.

Tomasso Di Giovanni, PMI vice president of communications and engagement in charge of leading affiliates toward the company’s smoke-free goals, supports this point. “Demonization and tantamount prohibition don’t work. People find different ways, or they simply say, ‘I want to smoke, let me smoke’.”

According to Herce, there are currently 14 million smokers in the Philippines, of whom only 4 percent have a chance of quitting. For PMFTC, this means providing the Filipino and Asian markets with alternative smoke-free options, as they believe informed consumer choice, a supportive environment, and practical initiatives are effective factors in harm reduction. A primary reason cigarettes are harmful, she continues, is the 6,000 chemicals released just by burning tobacco. By eliminating the burning process in PMFTC’s alternative products, namely their Zyn nicotine pouches and Iqos heated tobacco product (HTPs), adult smokers are one step closer to a healthier lifestyle. As Di Giovanni explains: “Offering alternatives, explaining the alternatives, and giving a positive way out has proven to be extremely effective.” 

PMFTC emphasizes that the collective efforts of the government, health sector, education system, and tobacco retailers can provide the country with solutions best suited for our context. “The truth is it’s society that can reduce the use of tobacco,” says Di Giovanni. 

While Philip Morris International maintains that the ideal outcome is for users to quit nicotine and tobacco altogether, harm reduction and substance use dependency are best combated with compassion. Di Giovanni asserts, “Empathy and understanding are much more important.”