In a first of its kind, Phillip Morris, the largest cigarette maker in the world, has rolled out a campaign to urge smokers in the UK to abandon tobacco cigarettes and switch to vaping. The campaign dubbed “Hold My Light” is urging family members to support smokers to quit and switch to safer alternatives like e-cigs. For example, family members and friends can pledge to perform certain chores for the person who wants to quit smoking. This social support can provide the impetus needed for smokers to follow through on their desire to quit. The company cites research conducted by Public Health England as proof that vaping poses fewer risks to the individual and the public.
The £2 million campaign also hopes to strengthen the foothold of the e-cigarettes made by Philip Morris. The company plans to stop making tobacco cigarettes and focus on e-cigs and heated tobacco. The Hold My Light campaign has been received positively by a cross-section of the UK community, including a former health minister. The UK is one of the few jurisdictions around the world that has embraced vaping as a way to stop smoking harm. Doctors are even encouraged to suggest vaping as an alternative to their patients who smoke. I wonder whether policymakers and regulators in the U.S. can borrow a leaf from the approach taken by the UK?