8 September 2008 – Lausanne

Philip Morris Limited (PML), the UK affiliate of Philip Morris International, today submitted a response to the UK Department of Health’s Consultation on the Future of Tobacco Control.

The Government’s consultation paper covers a wide spectrum of matters posing stark and contrasting visions for the “future of tobacco control” in the United Kingdom.

In its response, PML expresses its support for a number of issues in the consultation, including the potential of a harm reduction approach to tobacco control and strong measures to tackle youth smoking and the illicit trade.

PML believes that by raising the issue of harm reduction as a potential component of government sanctioned tobacco policy, the Department of Health has taken a bold step, recognizing that the future of tobacco control must contain science-based regulations that govern the product.

However, the Company communicates its view that its does not support regulation designed to prevent adults from buying and using tobacco products or that imposes unnecessary impediments to the operation of the legitimate tobacco market.

“Regulation must be evidence-based. It should not raise unintended consequences that are neither good for public health nor for the legitimate tobacco industry.”

Even Hurwitz, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, PMI

To this end, PML shares its view that the proposal to place limits on the display of tobacco products at points of sale and the Department’s consideration of plain packaging are not proportional, evidence-based steps which will achieve the Government’s stated objective of reducing youth smoking. To the contrary, they are likely to undermine that objective by focusing competition on pricing, thereby leading to lower priced products and encourage illicit trade.

PMI is hopeful that the UK Department of Health will pursue a path towards a new future that can reduce harm, following a three-pronged approach: preventing initiation, encouraging cessation, and reducing harm through development of rigorous product regulation, including processes for the evaluation of product modification and alternative products.