Why Are Big Tobacco Companies Focussing On E Cigarettes
Big tobacco companies are turning the tide, here’s how and why.
It’s not at all surprising that big tobacco companies such as Phillip Morris are turning their focus to e cigarettes. After years building up a global empire, it’s now a definite fact that tobacco giants are looking at a smoke free future. But why would such companies change their minds? After years of anti vaping laws, these companies are now turning to and promoting openly vape devices and e juice.So, is this just a new publicity stunt? Or is is it that we could soon be seeing Tobacco company vape devices cropping up in vapor shops in the UK?
Who are Phillip Morris?
Phillip Morris are a multinational tobacco company who are responsible for the selling and production of tobacco products in a whopping 180 countries worldwide. With Marlboro cigarettes behind them, these companies are known for being at the height of the tobacco game since the year 1900, making them one of the oldest companies still running today. This company has been at the heart of a wide range of litigations and prohibitions due to their selling of a product deemed one of the most addictive and dangerous legally available, leading to widespread debate and protests, which the company have recently become the heart of again.
Phillip Morris and heat not burn
The Phillip Morris company have come under even more scrutiny in the past months due to their claims of wanting to swap from tobacco to heat not burn products in the next 12 years and thus cut down the amount of smokers in the world today. In early January, Phillip Morris placed an ad in papers across the world saying “Phillip Morris is known for cigarettes. Every year smokers give them up. Now it’s our turn.” The company have started to promote their electronic replacement, a heat not burn device with a range of tobacco flavoured vape juices, which they hope will replace cigarettes, at least in the UK. This is no mean feat, especially with 7.6 million adult smokers in the country.
What this means for vaping
Vaping is under even more scrutiny now. With Phillip Morris now pouring billions into vape technology, it’s no surprise that they have made, in their own words, such a “dramatic decision.” What is it that they will gain from going smoke free, and are they really invested in the future of vaping. One thing’s for sure, if Phillip Morris become a vaping monolith, the marketplace will become far more difficult to navigate for smaller companies and vape shops in the UK. That being said, it might lead to far more investment in the industry.
Why have they changed their mind?
There are plenty of reasons why Philip Morris may have changed their minds. It’s taken them over a century, but it has finally become obvious what the benefits to vaping are and why it might just be one of the best ways to invest money as a large corporation.
Vaping is healthier
Over the decade since it hit mainstream markets and high streets, vaping has been proven time and time again to be a far better alternative than smoking. For starters, vaping has far less carcinogens in its vapour. With smoking have 40 different carcinogens and over 400 different toxic chemicals, it’s no surprise that people are turning away from the habit. Vaping is also far safer in terms of home fires and live flames. Unless your device bursts, you’re in for a far safer nicotine hit than smoking. This has led world medical experts to agree that vaping is 98 percent safer than smoking. This alone is more than enough incentive for smokers to quit and companies like PHilip Morris to rethink their strategies in regards to it.
Vaping is lucrative
With vaping products surging 50 percent last year, the vaping industry has now reached a whopping 1 billion pounds in the UK alone. Since it’s migration across the Atlantic, vaping has been responsible for cutting down the amount of smokers in the UK by 1.9 million. With so many smokers in the country, that’s a hefty amount smokers turning to vaping, and the numbers altogether are taking us over the 3 million benchmark.
More people vape now
So, with more people, 3 million more to be exact, vaping in the country, companies like Phillip Morris have been given an ultimatum. Either they get with the times and change their game, or they fall by the wayside. With a company as large as Philip Morris and with so much history behind them, it’d be mad for them to throw in the towel so soon. And with vaping being one of the most popular crazes of this generation, it can only be a good thing to have a huge corporation backing e cigarettes… right?