Latest news with #TobaccoHarmReduction
Gulf Business
10-06-2025
- Health
- Gulf Business
BAT sees MENA region as key for its smokeless transformation
Alexandre Ghanem, cluster manager for BAT in MENA British American Tobacco (BAT) is accelerating its transition towards a smokeless world — and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is playing a central role in that journey. As it drives transformational change with the introduction of its smokeless products with reduced risk profile compared to cigarettes, BAT sees significant potential to make Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) a reality in the region, driven by science, regulation, and consumer readiness. 'With a 60-year heritage in the Middle East, our MENA cluster holds strategic importance for the firm at a global level and plays a crucial role in our transformation journey,' says Alexandre Ghanem, cluster manager for BAT in MENA. 'The opportunities in the MENA region are immense, and smokers are actively making a switch from smoking to less risky products. This consumer demand is aligned with our ambition to accelerate our THR journey in the region by offering adult smokers a wide range of high-quality, scientifically substantiated, reduced risk alternative nicotine products compared to cigarettes.' Backed by science and regulation According to Ghanem, BAT's innovation strategy is underpinned by world-class science and is focused on building a comprehensive portfolio of non-combustible nicotine products to meet the evolving preferences of adult consumers. 'Aligned with our vision of creating 'A Better Tomorrow', we're driving innovation through cutting-edge works led by over 1,750 R&D specialists at our global innovation centres around the world,' said Ghanem. 'By using our 9-step risk assessment framework, we are looking at the emissions, exposure, risk, and ultimately the harm of our smokeless products to establish the weight of evidence to scientifically substantiate their relative risk profiles compared to cigarette smoking.' The company invests more than £300m annually in research and development. It recently introduced tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches under the VELO brand in the UAE. Changing perceptions through education According to Ghanem, 'misperceptions around nicotine and smokeless products remain a significant obstacle not only in the region but globally, with many believing that all smokeless alternatives are just as harmful or even more harmful than traditional tobacco. of 27,000 smokers across 28 countries found that 74 per cent believe vaping is at least as harmful as smoking'. This disconnect persists, despite clear endorsements from respected public health authorities such as the while 'nicotine vaping is not risk-free, it is less harmful than smoking.' A smokeless Middle East BAT says its commitment to the region is clear – it is to create A Better Tomorrow by building A Smokeless World. BAT MENA aims to do this not only through its smokeless product offerings but also in its ongoing efforts to develop local talent in alignment with government visions, as Ghanem described. Speaking about the MENA cluster, he said: 'As a global company, committed to contributing to the economic growth and talent development within the Middle East & North Africa, the Group chose Dubai as the location for our regional headquarters covering 'Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa – West' regions, recognising the city's strategic importance and its status as a leading hub for innovation and business.' BAT's operational growth in the GCC aligns with rising consumer demand of the smokeless products, as more adult smokers are found to be actively seeking to switch to less harmful alternatives. Local research from Kantar showed that 7.8 per cent of UAE consumers currently use non-combustible products— while a much sizable pool of 83 per cent of the respondents are open to making the switch to these products from smoking.
Gulf Today
28-05-2025
- Health
- Gulf Today
British American Tobacco Middle East DMCC (BAT) hosts Tobacco Harm Reduction event in Dubai
Gulf Network British American Tobacco Middle East DMCC hosted an event today in Dubai to spotlight the role of innovation and science in advancing tobacco harm reduction (THR). The event coincided with the release of the UAE's first national standards for tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches – marking a significant step in establishing a framework for product quality, safety, and manufacturing. At the event, BAT Middle East North Africa (MENA) highlighted its ongoing transformation toward building A Better Tomorrow, with a commitment to providing adult smokers, who would otherwise continue to smoke, with a wide range of reduced-risk* alternatives to combustible cigarettes. BAT also introduced Omni, its evidence-based, dynamic resource that showcases how science and innovation are driving progress towards A Smokeless World. Omni, a resource intended for scientists, public health authorities, regulators, policy makers, and investors, brings together hundreds of independent scientific studies and research, BAT's own research into its innovation, as well as real-world examples of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) in action. One of the real-world examples highlighted at the event was Sweden's success in achieving the lowest smoking prevalence in the European Union. A key to Sweden's success has been its openness to allow the sale of smokeless alternatives to cigarettes that satisfy adult smokers' desire for nicotine, and to avoid excessively restricting these products. Local insights shared at the event further underscored the growing consumer openness to smokeless products to combustible cigarettes in the UAE. According to local internal research conducted by Kantar, 83% of adult smokers in the UAE are open to switching to reduced-risk* alternatives. Commenting on the occasion, Alexandre Ghanem, General Manager of BAT MENA, said, 'We are proud to contribute to conversations that support science-led transformation in our industry. The availability of nicotine alternatives, supported by regulation, innovation, and evidence, is key to encouraging a complete switch among adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking.' Showcasing Omni to the UAE audience for the first time, Mark Forster, BAT Group's Senior Scientific Engagement Manager, added: 'We believe that Tobacco Harm Reduction represents one of the most significant public health opportunities. Especially as we near World No Tobacco Day, we stand alongside those calling for well-thought-out regulations that can help countries achieve their smoke-free ambition by encouraging adult smokers, who would otherwise continue smoking, to switch completely to smokeless alternatives, while preventing underage use.' BAT's tobacco-free nicotine pouches are already available in over 40 countries. The company has plans to expand its smokeless product portfolio in the UAE under the flagship nicotine pouch brand VELO. *Based on the weight of evidence and assuming a complete switch from cigarette smoking. These products are not risk free and are addictive.
