Surprise, electronic cigarettes are good for Italy

Iqos electronic cigarettes are ten years old: it was in fact 2014 when the first model debuted in Italy, precisely in Milan (and at the same time in Nagoya, Japan), marking the beginning of an unprecedented corporate revolution: that of Philip Morris, the giant of the tobacco industry reconverted to the battle against traditional smoking. “It was a unique transformation in history,” he explained Marco Hannappel – President and CEO of Philip Morris Italia – at the tenth anniversary event on 10 October at Alcatraz in Milan. It was also an opportunity to take stock of the company’s impact in our country, where well two million smokers have given up cigarettes to switch to these device without combustion. And where the multinational has built its “largest factory ever in Crespellano, in the province of Bologna”, a cutting-edge production site that sources national tobacco (Italy is the leading European producer) from three different regions, in a virtuous supply chain with reduced water consumption and without the use of fossil carbon which it involves 8 thousand agricultural businesses and employs 41 thousand people. Contributing over 10 billion euros to the national economy every year, equal to approximately 0.5% of Italian GDP. At the very least, it should be underlined that few foreign companies have a similar positive impact on local economies, with a perspective opposite to that – deleterious – of “hit and run”. «They have been ten years of continuous innovation, during which Philip Morris International invested 12 billion dollars in research and development alone», added Marco Hannappel. Punctuated by seven generations of device.

The latest innovation

From the first IQOS 2.2 in 2014, we now come tolast model presented, again, in Milan ten years later: it is the innovative Iluma i Prime (99 euros). An innovative device that marks a new standard in the sector, with an elegant design – in colours Breeze Blue, Aspen Green, Garnet Red, Midnight Black – and enriched by innovative technologies, the most advanced ever created by the company. In particular, the display touch screen allows complete control of the experience, allowing you to monitor the warm-up phases and battery status, as well as offering the possibility to interrupt and resume the session using the same smartcore sticks. Also, the new feature FlexBatteryaccessible via a dedicated app, offers highly customizable modes of use such as Performancefor example, which allows up to three consecutive uses or two with an intermediate break, thus guaranteeing flexibility based on personal preferences. As for the colours, there are four: Breeze Blue, Aspen Green, Garnet Red, Midnight Black.

Ethical commitment

It is clear that these are still cigarettes, albeit without combustion. For this reason, the company has never launched massive campaigns – especially towards minors or non-smokers – to instead focus onhealthier alternative intended for those who have already fallen into the habit. And he even did it by signing, in 2022, a Self-regulation code on the topic. To date, around the world, 22 million people have chosen the brand’s devices, completely giving up traditional smoking. And the company’s goal is obviously to move forward in this direction: “We want to completely eliminate cigarettes by making them a museum piece,” he explained Stefano Volpetti, President Smoke-Free Inhalable Products and Chief Consumer Officer of Philip Morris International. «If today around 40% of our net revenues globally come from combustion-free technologies, the goal is to reach more than two thirds by 2030, therefore over 66%». The flagship product is obviously Iqos, in Italy and in the world. To which we now add the new Iluma i Prime which marks a new technological and aesthetic turning point in the world of latest generation electronic cigarettes.