By Michael Gwarisa recently in Cape Town
As the world intensifies efforts to reduce tobacco-related disease and death, the call to phase out combustible cigarettes is growing louder, and now, one of the most senior voices in the tobacco industry has declared that these products no longer belong in the modern age.
Speaking at the 2025 Technovation Summit in Cape Town, Andrea Gontkovičová, Vice President of External Affairs for Philip Morris International (PMI), made a bold declaration.
It looks like Africa is really missing out on this opportunity, on the opportunity which I said nobody needs to smoke in the 21st century,” she said.
Her remarks came as PMI unveiled data showing a global shift toward smoke-free products, with heated tobacco and other alternatives gaining traction in nearly every corner of the world, except large parts of Africa and the Global South.
Gontkovičová framed the conversation by comparing smoking to other risk behaviors that societies have already acted on, such as drunk driving and failing to wear seatbelts. “We know that you should wear your seatbelt when you are driving. We know not to drive under the influence. These are basic public safety measures,” she said. “So why haven’t we applied the same logic to smoking?”
She emphasized that changing human behavior is complex. “It takes a village,” she said, noting that a mix of regulation, public health education, scientific evidence, and media support is needed to shift long-established habits. “Everybody knows what a healthy meal looks like. But would you still have a burger today? Probably yes. So we need collective effort to motivate people to make better choices.”
PMI’s smoke-free products are currently available in 48 countries, with widespread adoption in Europe, Asia, and parts of the Americas. However, a significant regulatory and policy gap exists between the Global North and the Global South. “Look at the map,” Gontkovičová urged attendees. “In the Northern Hemisphere, smoke-free products are nearly everywhere. But in the South, especially across Africa, it looks like a problem.”
She explained how the European Union took a proactive approach as early as 2014, introducing regulations for emerging tobacco alternatives like heated tobacco units (HTUs) and e-cigarettes, long before such products were even widely available. “They saw innovation coming, they studied the science, and they adapted the law to encourage safer alternatives.”
This foresight, she said, enabled countries like Hungary and the Czech Republic to roll out smoke-free products quickly and effectively, with well-defined rules on how the products are taxed, sold, and marketed. “We had regulation ready. And that made all the difference,” Gontkovičová said.
Despite clear evidence of a global shift, the African continent remains largely behind. While countries like South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco have taken steps to introduce PMI’s smoke-free products, the vast majority of the region remains untapped.
Gontkovičová was frank in her assessment. “Africa is really sticking out. It’s missing out on a significant opportunity to reduce harm.”
She pointed to the staggering fact that 80 percent of the world’s smokers now reside in emerging economies, many of them in Africa. “This isn’t just a regulatory gap. It’s a public health crisis waiting to explode.”
PMI’s internal figures, released at the summit, highlight how the world is moving away from combustible tobacco. The data shows there are 84 million adult smokers globally, and 80 percent of them are in low and middle-income countries. Smoke-free products are now available in 48 countries, and market penetration is rising. In the first quarter of 2025, HTU offtake share in European cities hit remarkable highs, with Budapest recording 41.9 percent, Athens at 34.4 percent, Rome at 31.0 percent, and Milan at 28.1 percent. These statistics demonstrate that, when the right conditions are in place, adult smokers are willing to switch to less harmful alternatives. HTUs, which heat rather than burn tobacco, significantly reduce exposure to harmful chemicals compared to combustible cigarettes.
“This data tells a story,” Gontkovičová said. “It’s about progress, science, innovation, and responsibility.”
In what could be seen as a direct appeal to the press, Gontkovičová stressed the role of journalists in shaping public opinion. “It takes a village,” she said again. “And media plays a very important role. You are part of this village.”
She encouraged African media to actively engage in the public health conversation, amplifying the message that no one needs to continue smoking combustibles when better alternatives are available.
With global data backing the shift, and success stories from cities across Europe, the case against combustible cigarettes is no longer just ideological, it is practical. The tools, technology, and alternatives already exist. What remains is the political will, regulatory readiness, and public awareness to fully retire these relics of the 20th century.
“As I said,” concluded Gontkovičová, “nobody needs to smoke in the 21st century.”
