On June 24, 2026, the next Technovation event organized by Philip Morris International (PMI) took place in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. During the event, a Vice President of PMI, in his presentation, discussed the differences between smoke-free tobacco products and conventional cigarettes, highlighting approaches to tobacco harm reduction. He also stated that this approach is reflected in documents and reports issued by the United Nations and the World Health Organization, and is supported by international organizations. In addition, during the panel discussions held as part of the event, leading scientists from the region and PMI representatives emphasized that nicotine itself is not a carcinogenic substance. It was noted that although nicotine is an addictive substance, carcinogenic compounds are generated when it is consumed through cigarette smoking (i.e., when tobacco is burned), which can lead to cancer. However, when nicotine is consumed through smoke-free tobacco products (such as IQOS), these carcinogenic compounds are not produced because the tobacco is heated rather than burned.
