INVESTED IN RESPONSIBILITY
Only adults 21+ should have access to tobacco and nicotine products. At PMI U.S., we take under-21 access prevention seriously and focus our efforts on responsible marketing, retail safeguards, and real-world monitoring. However, we recognize that we cannot eliminate underage access on our own. Underage prevention is a shared responsibility that requires collective effort from all stakeholders.
Our Commitment to Responsibility
How we do it
Our comprehensive 10-point approach includes responsible marketing practices,
retailer support programs, real-world monitoring, and a call for shared responsibility:
1. AGE-GATED WEBSITE ACCESS
We enforce rigorous online age verification (21+) for our branded websites, deploying third-party systems to independently confirm the age of every visitor.
2. MONITORING UNDERAGE USE
We closely monitor reports of underage use, including through the CDC and FDA National Youth Tobacco Survey. The reported youth usage rates for nicotine pouches remain relatively low.
3. RESPONSIBLE MARKETING
Our marketing and advertising are directed to adult (21+) nicotine consumers. Our advertising features only individuals 35 and over. We don’t engage in product placement in movies or television programs.
4. RETAIL TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT
We are a founding board member and investor in TruAge®, a free retail technology that gives stores a more accurate way to detect fake IDs and restrict underage access.
5. RESPONSIBLE SOCIAL MEDIA
Our policies prohibit paying social media influencers to endorse our products. We routinely request the removal of inappropriate content online, to the extent possible.
6. FDA REGULATION
Our goal is to offer a comprehensive portfolio of scientifically substantiated smoke-free products. Our portfolio includes the first nicotine pouch to receive premarket tobacco product authorization, as well as the first snus and heated tobacco products authorized as modified risk tobacco products by the FDA.
7. INNOVATION FOR AGE RESTRICTION
We invest in exploring new technologies, such as TruAge®, to further limit the visibility of and restrict access to nicotine products by those under 21.
8. ENFORCEMENT
We work with U.S. Customs and other authorities to support efforts to curtail the sale of illicit products.
9. RESPONSIBLE RETAIL PRACTICES
We serve as an Advisory Council member for We Card, championing comprehensive training for retail employees, alongside in-store signage emphatically underscoring the minimum age of 21 for purchasing nicotine products.
10. MYSTERY SHOPPING
We support the FDA’s mystery shopper program to check retailer compliance with the federal law for minimum age of purchase. We regularly monitor inspection reports and take appropriate actions with our retail partners.
