Media

Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. (RBH), one of the country's leading tobacco companies today launched a new campaign to "unsmoke" Canada and help drive Canada towards a smoke-free future by 2035.

The goal of "Unsmoke Canada" is to help the country's 4.5-million smokers who do not want to quit to switch to better alternatives to cigarettes.

The core message of Unsmoke is: if you don't smoke, don't start. If you smoke, quit. If you don't quit, change," said Peter Luongo, Managing Director of RBH, a subsidiary of Phillip Morris International.

"A smoke-free future means we want to stop selling cigarettes in Canada by 2035. For change like this to happen, requires that governments, consumers and society to all play a role. We can't unsmoke Canada alone."

Despite continued government efforts to get people to abstain from or quit smoking, the World Health Organization predicts there will still be about 1.1 billion smokers worldwide in 2025, roughly the same number as today. In Canadathere are an estimated 4.5 million adults who are regular smokers.

A recent Forum Research poll found 72 per cent of respondents who smoke regularly or occasionally say they are likely to use a smoke-free product to help them switch from smoking cigarettes. Full details of the poll can be found here. RBH commissioned the poll.

Unsmoke Canada Week will kick-start a conversation about the importance to quit cigarettes or –if someone wants to continue smoking- switch to better alternatives.

"It's time for a change. Innovation has developed technology to offer better alternatives for people who would otherwise continue to smoke cigarettes," Luongo said. "Not technology for new smokers or former smokers – technology that is only meant for today's adult smokers to switch away from cigarettes if they don't want to quit entirely."

The campaign will include events across Canada, including a speech by Mr. Luongo today in Toronto at the Empire Club of Canada over the noon hour. Media are welcome to attend and Mr. Luongo will be available to media afterwards.

"We must have this conversation beyond one day or one week in order to provide meaningful help to smokers and the people who love them," Luongo said. "This campaign is driving Canada towards a smoke-free future that's supported by scientific evidence, research and public opinion."

More information is available at www.unsmoke.ca.