By Dasha Afanasieva and Siddharth Cavale<br>
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Dec 2 (Reuters) - Philip Morris will reach its target of 50% sales from smoke-free <br>
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products by 2025 through organic revenue growth <br>
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rather than mergers and acquisitions, its CEO told Reuters.<br>
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The maker of Marlboro cigarettes has spent more <br>
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than $8 billion on reduced risk products since it began developing them a decade ago, Chief Executive Jacek Olczak said in an interview during the Reuters Next conference.<br>
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About 30% of revenue at Philip Morris now comes from "smoke-free" products such as <a href="https://postheaven.net/gilliclhzj/iqos-khuue-aair-aelwmandiikwaabuhriithrrmdaa-yaangair-h24s">iqos ione</a> tobacco heating devices, Olczak added on Thursday.<br>
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Philip Morris has also set a target of generating $1 billion in sales from non-nicotine products <br>
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by 2025 as part of its evolution website into a broader "healthcare and wellness" company.<br>
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"The way we look at these targets, we achieved the current 30% organically and I believe we can get to 50% by continuing this organic growth," Olczak said, adding:<br>
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"Our $1 billion target of achieving sales from non-nicotine products we can also to a very large extent achieve organically."<br>
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Olczak's comments come nearly two months after Philip Morris bought British inhaler-maker Vectura, <br>
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a deal which faced opposition from public health experts <br>
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who questioned whether a tobacco group should own a company that cures the <br>
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respiratory illnesses which cigarettes cause.<br>
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Asked if he was surprised by the backlash, Olczak said there <br>
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were "a few voices of criticism" and that he expected "negative emotions" to fade <br>
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as Vectura launches products over the next few years that will address <br>
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unmet patient and consumer needs.<br>
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Since it was announced in July, critics have put concerted pressure <br>
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on shareholders and the government to block the <br>
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deal.<br>
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In August, a group of more than 35 health charities, experts and doctors across the world wrote website to <br>
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shareholders over the damaging effect tobacco has on United Nations <br>
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sustainable development goals, following up with a letter to the British government to look <br>
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at conflict of interest issues in September.<br>
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"Nothing we are doing should come as a surprise, we are putting in action the visions that we shared openly seven or so years ago about leaving cigarettes behind," Olczak said.<br>
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"This is completely moving the company in another direction."<br>
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<b>To watch the Reuters Next conference, please register here:<br>
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website</b><br>
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(Reporting by Dasha Afanasieva and Siddharth Cavale; <br>
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Editing by Alexander Smith)
By Dasha Afanasieva and