Philip Morris: smoke-free cigarettes under investigation in Italy

Philip Morris: smokeless cigarettes under investigation in Italy Keystone-SDA

The Italian competition authority announced on Wednesday that it had opened an investigation into Philip Morris Italia for promoting smoke-free electronic cigarettes.

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The Italian subsidiary of the major American cigarette manufacturer, whose operational headquarters are in Lausanne, is suspected of “incorrect commercial practices” after promising “a smoke-free future” or “smoke-free products”.

These expressions could prove to be “unclear and misleading for consumers, as they refer to products which, although they do not burn, are not free from possible harmful effects on health, are no less harmful than others and can be addictive”, the authority said in a press release.

Agents of the competition authority, accompanied by the financial police, searched two Philip Morris sites in Italy on Tuesday, according to the statement.

In France, the cigarette-maker’s subsidiary was fined €500,000 (CHF465,000) in early 2025 for “direct advertising or propaganda” in favour of tobacco and vaping products.

According to the decision handed down by the Paris Criminal Court in February, the website dedicated to the IQOS heated tobacco device, marketed by Philip Morris, contained information that “had the purpose or effect of promoting both the quality and safety of the IQOS device, under the guise of allegedly reducing the risks associated with tobacco consumption”.

In early October, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned of a new and “alarming” wave of nicotine addiction linked to the development of electronic cigarettes, at a time when the number of smokers of conventional cigarettes is falling rapidly.

According to the UN health agency, manufacturers are presenting electronic cigarettes as less harmful than traditional cigarettes, but in reality they are aggressively targeting young people and getting them hooked.

At least 15 million children aged between 13 and 15 worldwide now use them, notes the WHO.

“Smokefree” products (vape, nicotine sachets, etc.) account for a growing share of Philip Morris’ sales (41% in the second quarter of 2025).

Translated from French by DeepL/jdp

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