Tobacco firm launches £2m campaign to help smokers kick the habit

Backlash as world’s biggest tobacco firm launches £2million campaign to help smokers kick the habit and switch to vaping

• Philip Morris International, makers of Marlboro cigarettes, are behind the move
• But health charities have slammed it as ‘staggering hypocrisy’ and ‘PR puff’
• Cancer Research said the best way PMI could help is by stop making cigarettes 

The world’s biggest tobacco company is facing backlash after launching a £2million campaign encouraging smokers to switch to vaping.

Philip Morris International, which makes Marlboro cigarettes, are behind the initiative to encourage people to quit smoking for at least a month.

But health charities have slammed the move as ‘staggering hypocrisy’ and ‘PR puff’, saying the company is only interested in promoting its other products.

A Cancer Research UK spokesperson said: ‘The best way Philip Morris could help people to stop smoking is to stop making cigarettes.’

Philip Morris International, which makes Marlboro cigarettes, has launched an initiative to encourage people to quit smoking for at least a month (pictured: the campaign)

But health charities have slammed the move as ‘staggering hypocrisy’ and ‘PR puff’, saying the company is only interested in promoting its other products

PMI says the Hold My Light campaign is ‘an important next step’ for the company’s aim of helping people to go smoke-free.

The campaign has its own website and features video and newspaper advertising, suggesting people use e-cigarettes or heated tobacco instead.

Despite claims it wants to ‘ultimately stop selling cigarettes’, the company still produces more than 800billion cigarettes a year.

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‘This is a staggering hypocrisy from a tobacco company to promote its own smoking cessation products in the UK while continuing to promote tobacco cigarettes across the world,’ said George Butterworth, Cancer Research UK spokesperson.

‘The best way Philip Morris could help people to stop smoking is to stop making cigarettes.

‘Smoking is the leading preventable cause of cancer and we encourage people to switch away completely from smoking, including through the use of e-cigarettes.

Peter Nixon, MD of Philip Morris Limited, the world’s biggest tobacco company, is encouraging smokers to give up cigarettes and switch to vaping in a multimillion-pound campaign

The initiative has been launched by Philip Morris Limited, the maker of Marlboro, as part of a new strategy to switch smokers to their vaping products

‘We would also advise smokers to fully give up and not continue to smoke tobacco whilst using an e-cigarette.’

The £2million campaign is aimed at persuading the UK’s 7.4million smokers to go ‘smoke free’ with the help of family and friends.

Smokers are encouraged to give up the habit for a minimum of a month, based on Public Health England research that found smokers who gave up for 28 days were five times more likely to stop smoking completely.

The initiative has been launched by Philip Morris Limited, the maker of Marlboro, as part of a new strategy to switch smokers to their vaping products.

The firm cites Public Health England research which suggests vaping is 95 per cent safer than smoking cigarettes.

Hazel Cheeseman, director of policy at the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said: ‘This campaign is simply PR puff.

‘A massively profitable global tobacco company is selling the line that they’ve turned over a new leaf in an effort to flog their latest gadgets.

‘If they were serious about a smokefree world they wouldn’t challenge tobacco legislation around the world but instead support regulations that will really help smokers quit and prevent children from taking up smoking.

‘Instead they are putting out press releases and making bold claims about breaking new ground – doesn’t look like there is much new to see here. ‘

More than 80,000 people die every year in the UK because of disease related to smoking.

The habit damages most parts of the body, including the brain, heart, lungs, and skin, and costs people an average of £1,696 a year, according to the NHS.

Peter Nixon, managing director of Philip Morris, said: ‘This campaign breaks new ground, which is an important next step in our company going smoke-free and ultimately stop selling cigarettes.

‘Our research has shown that smokers want personal support from friends and family if they are to give up cigarettes – and that is what Hold My Light is designed to offer.’

The Hold My Light campaign consists of a website, video and newspaper advertising campaign.

It is the first time a tobacco company has launched a smoke-free campaign directly aimed at encouraging UK smokers to give up cigarettes.

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