Coming from the pharmaceutical industry, I had never thought I’d join a tobacco company. But I was a smoker—so when Philip Morris International (PMI) asked me to work on their new project creating smoke-free products back in the 2000s, I saw an opportunity to be part of a game-changer for the hundreds of millions of men and women around the world who—like me—smoked combustible cigarettes.

Almost 20 years on, we’re fully and openly committed to a smoke-free future, undergoing a radical transformation rooted in science and guided by transparency.

In an increasingly polarized and divided world, where even science is far too often politicized, transparency remains one of our strongest tools to foster science-based dialogues, tackle misinformation, and help people make informed decisions.

As a scientist, I’ve seen the wonderful possibilities of science. And as an eternal optimist, I passionately believe that if we put science front and center in business, policymaking, and everyday life, we can make huge progress toward solving some of the world’s most pressing problems.

That’s why we’re encouraging politicians, regulators, public health groups, scientists, and key opinion leaders to consider science-backed alternatives to continued smoking as an additional tool to help address a global public health issue—in concert with existing anti-smoking measures aimed at preventing initiation, protecting minors, and encouraging cessation.

We’re aware of the skepticism when it comes to the tobacco industry. But I’m convinced that if we continue being transparent about our science—encouraging scrutiny even from the harshest of critics—science will prevail. Facts and evidence will ultimately become too difficult to ignore.

One thing is certain. We can’t create a smoke-free future on our own. Progress depends on our collective ability to objectively assess the facts and make science-based decisions that place the interests of adult smokers first. Robust science and data must be at the forefront of this conversation.