Active Smoking

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We support public health authorities' efforts to inform the public about the risks of smoking, and we believe that people should take their conclusions into account when deciding whether or not to smoke.

The conclusion that cigarette smoking is a cause of disease has been drawn primarily from statistically based studies that compare disease incidence between population groups of smokers and groups of non-smokers (called epidemiological studies). These studies have consistently reported that cigarette smokers are at increased risk of developing a variety of health problems - as noted above. The magnitudes of the reported risks vary from study to study, from country to country, from one disease to another, and for the degree of smoking.

Although epidemiological studies indicate that smokers are at higher risk as a group, an individual's likelihood of contracting a smoking-associated disease cannot be determined from such studies. Many factors, in addition to smoking, may have an influence on an individual's risk for developing a smoking-related disease. Whilst public health authorities have concluded that smoking causes certain diseases, the specific underlying biological mechanisms have not been conclusively established. There are still major gaps in scientific knowledge.

Areas where scope for further scientific research exist include:

The molecular basis for smoking induced cancer has not been established
Experimental toxicology studies are not able to predict reliably human health effects
The identity of the smoke constituents associated with specific diseases has not been adequately established
The relationship between degree of smoking and its health consequences has not been completely delineated
Separating the effects of smoking from those arising from factors such as lifestyle, occupation, residential environment and hereditary predisposition, has not been achieved.

Notwithstanding the gaps in scientific knowledge, we have long recognized the real risks associated with smoking. This recognition has driven much of our product development research and our desire to develop an appropriate regulatory framework for tobacco. It is also the basis of our commitment to stop minors from smoking and our willingness to embrace sensible and practical restrictions on marketing our brands.