Razvan Balaban, Philip Morris: How regulatory policies influence smoking in Europe: France, Great Britain and Sweden

The tobacco product market is one of the most regulated industries globally, and public policies aimed at reducing smoking vary significantly between countries. Răzvan Balaban, Senior Manager of External Affairs at Philip Morris International, discusses these differences in a NewMoney.Talks podcast moderated by Constantin Rudnițchi.

In Europe, France, the United Kingdom, and Sweden adopt distinct strategies: France focuses on increasing excise taxes, which has led to a 40% illicit market, while the United Kingdom combines taxation with public education, reducing the social stigma of smoking. Sweden, on the other hand, promotes lower-risk alternatives like snus and has managed to approach the 5% threshold of smokers. Swedish policies demonstrate that an evidence-based scientific approach can have a positive impact on public health, encouraging the transition to less harmful products.