Less risk, less tax

Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC) has asked lawmakers to lower tobacco taxes on smoking alternatives such as e-cigarettes, which are believed to be less harmful than combustible cigarettes, according to a report in The Philippine Inquirer.

PMFTC external affairs and communications director Patrick Muttart said research showed that almost 60 percent of Filipino smokers are open to switching from combustible cigarettes to alternatives such as IQOS, the company’s heat-not-burn device.

Muttart said softening taxes on cigarette alternatives “can encourage quitting.”

While the company has not yet officially launched IQOS in the Philippines, the product reportedly already has a large following with users buying it overseas or on the gray market.

Muttart told lawmakers that his firm’s smoke-free products could help sustain the Philippine tobacco industry, which, according to the National Tobacco Administration, supports 2 million people.

The Philippines provide leaf for some smoke-free products, and Philippine call centers provide global customer support to users of smoking alternatives that rely on electronics.

Muttart said if more smokers switch to alternative tobacco products, demand for call center support would increase as well.