NCET Biz Tips: Disrupting the Tobacco Industry through Technology and Innovation

NCET helps you explore business and technology

Edward Ableser

The Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NCET) firmly believes in driving innovation through the adoption and exploration of new and emerging technologies, especially within the small business sector. Small businesses not only serve as the backbone of our economy but also play a critical role in fostering innovation. At Philip Morris International (PMI), we are working to use innovation and technology to change public health outcomes for the better.

In Nevada, we are reimagining the future of tobacco by placing harm reduction at the core of our mission. Philip Morris International’s (PMI) CEO said we strive toward a future in which traditional cigarettes become nothing more than a relic of the past. This bold vision is not just aspirational; it actively drives our ongoing efforts to empower adults who smoke by offering them a range of less harmful choices.

Our initiatives focus on addressing the inherent dangers associated with combustion—the leading source of harm from smoking—by facilitating the transition of adults who smoke towards scientifically-backed alternatives. These alternatives are designed to significantly reduce exposure to harmful chemicals, thereby safeguarding public health. PMI’s primary objective is to replace traditional cigarettes with these superior options, ensuring that adult smokers have access to accurate information that enables them to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. We believe that by providing these resources, we can create a better future for all.

Here in Nevada, roughly 15 percent of all adults smoke, which is higher than the national average. We believe that the roughly 356,000 people still smoking these harmful combustible cigarettes could benefit from new innovative smoke-free products that can reduce the harms associated with smoking. Moreover, innovative smoke-free products could benefit the approximately 386,000 workers in Nevada’s Casinos, where smoking indoors is still legal. New smoke-free technology not only helps adults who smoke, but also protects workers in our casinos from second-hand smoke, which could positively change our state’s public health for the better. We believe these lives matter, and if innovation through technology can reduce the harm of smoking in Nevada, all the while ensuring tobacco stays out of the hands of our youth, this will be just another example of technology solving another one of society's problems.

Looking ahead, we are enthusiastic about the prospect of deepening our engagement in Nevada. Our goals include expanding access to a wider array of innovative products that can benefit the community and making strategic investments in initiatives aimed at enhancing public health solutions and fostering economic development. Nevada's vibrant business climate, combined with its forward-thinking leadership, positions the state as an exceptional partner for driving significant and meaningful progress.

Learn more about Philip Morris International’s smoke-free initiatives at a special NCET luncheon panel on February 26, 2025, at the Tamarack Casino.

NCET produces education and networking events to help people explore business and technology.

Eddie Ableser Ph.D., is the CEO of TriStrategies, tristrat.com, a mountain west states policy and government relations firm. He spent a decade as an elected-official in the Arizona Legislature before moving to Nevada to lead various divisions in education and health under former Nevada Governor Sandoval.