Freedom Day marks one of the most profound moments in South Africa’s history: the hard-won transition from oppression to democracy, and the restoration of dignity, rights, and voice to millions who history once denied. It stands as a day rooted in remembrance and responsibility, reminding us that freedom is not abstract, but lived. It is shaped by access to information, the ability to decide, and the agency to act in ways that support individual wellbeing. As South Africa reflects on freedom in a modern democracy, conversations around informed choice increasingly extend into public health, including how adult consumers engage with nicotine and the options available beyond cigarettes.
Across South Africa and globally, the conversation around nicotine continues to evolve. Tobacco control efforts, public awareness, and regulation have helped reduce smoking prevalence in many countries. However, the total number of people who smoke worldwide remains significant and continues to rise as populations grow. At the same time, shifting social norms and changing adult consumer expectations are driving interest in alternatives that better align with contemporary lifestyles, health considerations, and personal circumstances.
According to Daniel Gyefour, Director, Smoke-Free Products (SFP), Sub-Saharan Africa at Phillip Morris International (PMI): “This signals a profound cultural and behavioural change that reflects not just stronger public health policy, but a meaningful transformation in how people think about their wellbeing.”
As the world moves towards a more smoke-free culture, one question sits at the centre of the debate: should adult consumers not have the freedom to make their own, informed choices about nicotine consumption?
In South Africa, a Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in 2021 highlights that 21.2% of adults smoke daily, while a further 4.6% smoke occasionally. Many of the country’s 11.1 million smokers are not ready or willing to quit entirely. While many smokers express a desire to quit, success rates remain low. Therefore, tobacco control measures alone will not reduce smoking prevalence as quickly as anticipated.
Studies show that most smokers make multiple quit attempts before achieving long-term cessation, and many relapse within weeks or months. This creates an opportunity for a complementary approach that supports adult consumers who would otherwise continue smoking to switch to less harmful alternatives. For these consumers, the emergence of smoke-free nicotine products offers a significant opportunity: to continue exercising personal choice while reducing the harms associated with combustion-based tobacco.
Aligned with its ambition to deliver a smoke-free future by 2030, PMI continues to drive the transition towards better alternatives and choices for adult nicotine users. Its smoke-free product range now includes ZYN, a nicotine oral pouch available in a range of variants designed to offer adult nicotine users viable alternatives to cigarettes. Small, discreet, and odourless, ZYN delivers nicotine without smoke, ash, or the social disruption of stepping away for a cigarette break.
“Adult smokers are looking for options that fit their lifestyles and preferences, especially alternatives that do not rely on combustion,” says Gyefour. “We are committed to providing alternatives that empower adult consumers to make informed decisions. Harm reduction is not about telling people what to do. Far from it! It’s about ensuring they have the knowledge and the freedom of choice,” Gyefour adds.
In this context, consumer freedom means ensuring adults have access to better alternatives to continued smoking. While these alternatives are not entirely risk-free, they offer a better option for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke.
“People have different preferences, lifestyles, and readiness to change, and that should be acknowledged,” says Gyefour. “That’s why PMI focuses on continuing to develop and expand a range of smoke-free alternatives that offer adult users more options beyond cigarettes.”
“As a global smoke-free champion, our ambition is to provide adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking with science-based smoke-free alternatives. Since 2008, we have invested more than USD 14 billion globally in research and innovation to advance better alternatives to smoking, aligning innovation and design with public health priorities. Over the next five years, we will continue to invest in innovation that supports this shift because, ultimately, our role is to provide adult consumers with access to better alternatives and the information they need to make informed choices.”
