Philip Morris accused of hypocrisy for an anti-smoking advertisement

Philip Morris, one of the world's largest tobacco companies, has been accused of "staggering hypocrisy" for launching a campaign encouraging smokers to quit.

The Marlboro manufacturer said the move was "a next big step" in its goal of "finally stopping selling cigarettes".

But Cancer Research said the firm was simply trying to promote its alternatives to tobacco, such as heated tobacco.

"It's a staggering hypocrisy," he said, pointing out that society still encourages smoking outside of the UK.

"The best way for Philip Morris to help people quit smoking is to stop making cigarettes," said George Butterworth, Chief of Tobacco Policy at Cancer Research UK.

The charity stated that smoking was the leading preventable cause of cancer and encouraged people to stop smoking altogether, including using electronic cigarettes.

The Health Action Charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) also criticized the campaign, saying it was a way for Philip Morris to circumvent the British rules regarding anti-smoking advertising.

Most forms of tobacco advertising and promotion in the UK are prohibited, and the rules introduced last year imply that cigarettes and tobacco must be sold in simple green packs.

Deborah Arnott, general manager of ASH, said Philip Morris was still advertising his Marlboro brand wherever it was legal to do so.

"The fact is that it can no longer do it in the UK, we are a dark market where advertising, promotion and sponsorship are banned and cigarettes are packaged in simple packages.

"Philip Morris is promoting the name of the company, which is inextricably linked to Marlboro," she said.

Philip Morris said earlier that he wanted to achieve a "smoke-free" future.

Like many tobacco companies, Philip Morris is increasingly turning to new products to replace cigarettes, while the number of smokers in the UK continues to decline.

In the United Kingdom, it markets several alternatives to cigarettes, including a heated tobacco product, Iqos.

She also owns Nicocig, Vivid and Mesh electronic cigarette brands.

& # 39; It takes time & # 39;

The company's general manager, Peter Nixon, said his new advertising campaign was aimed at "helping smokers find alternative solutions".

When asked why, if Philip Morris so wanted smokers to stop smoking, the company did not just stop making cigarettes and focus only on alternative products.

"Cigarettes still account for 87% of our business. [smoke-free] as soon as possible, and we want to sell alternatives, but it takes time, "he said.

Mr Nixon said that the company had invested more than £ 4 billion in the development of alternative products to cigarettes.

The campaign offers four methods to quit smoking: cold turkey, the use of nicotine patches, vaping and heated tobacco products.

Last July, the government set a plan to make England smoke-free over the next few decades.

The new tobacco control plan aimed to reduce the smoking rate from 15.5% to 12% of the population by 2022.