29-06-2025
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO CLEAR THE AIR?
HIS love for his baby daughter was fierce—but not fierce enough to break his addiction. Each time Desmond Lee, 41, held her, she would grimace and fuss, turning away from the smoky scent clinging to his breath and clothes.
Yet every attempt to quit cold turkey left him trembling, sweating and on edge—trapped between love and addiction. Lee's struggle mirrors that of millions of smokers around the world, caught in a cycle they long to escape but find impossible to break.
For many, quitting altogether feels out of reach. Recognising this, Philip Morris International (PMI) is deepening its commitment to a smoke-free future by investing in science-driven innovation, building retail partnerships and aligning closely with evolving regulatory frameworks.
PMI Malaysia and Singapore managing director Naeem Shahab Khan reaffirmed the company's long-standing global ambition to phase out combustible cigarettes by harnessing science and technology for a cleaner future.
'There are nearly a billion smokers worldwide, and approximately 5.2 million in Malaysia alone. The most harmful way to consume nicotine remains through combustion—the act of burning tobacco. If you don't smoke, don't start. If you smoke, quit. If you don't quit, change,' said Naeem during the IQOS ILUMA i launch held at Heritage Valley, Kuala Lumpur recently.
Science-based approach
PMI's transformation into a science-led business has involved more than US$14bil in research and development investments to date—and that figure continues to grow year-on-year.
'We have over 1,400 scientists as well as research and development experts dedicated to this work. To date, we've published nearly 542 peer-reviewed studies, all of which are publicly available,' Naeem said.
These efforts, he added, are part of PMI's long-term strategy to reduce public health harm by eliminating combustion.
'Our extensive research shows that exposure to harmful chemicals can be reduced up to 95% compared to traditional cigarettes when combustion is taken out of the equation. The ill of smoking is in the smoke—when you remove burning, you drastically reduce harmful exposure,' he explained.
The company's findings are backed by a growing body of scientific evidence and international regulatory validation, including the US Food and Drug Administration's Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP).
Hinging on regulatory partnership
Naeem applauded Malaysia's Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act (ACT 852)—which provides a clear regulatory framework aimed at youth access prevention and combating illicit trade. He called it a 'key enabler for future progress'.
'This law offers much-needed clarity in terms of product definitions, quality control and age restrictions. It also places stronger emphasis on youth access prevention, which we fully support.'
Meanwhile, PMI Malaysia Commercial operations director Mazlan Jala Musa noted that the company has introduced internal compliance measures and retail guidelines, all of which strictly adheres to regulatory requirements. These include regular age-verification training for retail partners, in-store compliance checks and continuous education on product categories.
'We work closely with partners including convenience stores and independent retailers to help them understand the differences between products, and most importantly, to ensure they are not selling to minors,' said Mazlan.
On market competition, Naeem said PMI does not view other market players as rivals. Instead, he sees them as potential allies in shifting awareness away from combustible cigarettes.
'We define leadership not just by market share, but by how effectively we can reduce smoking prevalence. Anyone aligned with that goal contributes to the bigger picture,' he said.
Smoke-free potential
Armed with the strong belief that a smoke-free future is within reach, Naeem remains optimistic about Malaysia's potential to transition away from traditional cigarettes—but only through joint effort.
He called for continued collaboration between government, civil society, media and the private sector to provide smokers with accurate information—without targeting non-smokers or encouraging uptake.
'The elephant in the room is still cigarettes. That's where most of the harm lies. If we are serious about reducing the health burden of smoking, we must create the right environment to move adult smokers away from combustion.
'If we can pull our efforts together and create a regulatory framework that encourages cigarette smokers to switch to smoke-free alternatives, that is the only way, in my view, Malaysia can become smoke-free,' said Naeem.
