Philip Morris accused of fraud and deception over IQOS

Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd, a foundation working to prevent young people from smoking, is bringing a new criminal complaint against tobacco maker Philip Morris. It alleges fraud and deception over the company's heated-tobacco product, the IQOS.

Heated tobacco uses an electronic device that warms special tobacco sticks instead of burning them. Philip Morris says this is less harmful than smoking. The The public health institute RIVM says heated-tobacco products are harmful and not a safe alternative to smoking.

The foundation says Philip Morris is getting around the ban on tobacco advertising. It alleges the company uses misleading data in its campaigns, and says the marketing's real aim is to "get as many people addicted as possible".

Lawyer Bénédicte Ficq helped draw up the complaint. Ten years ago she filed a complaint against the tobacco industry over the sjoemelsigaret, the "rigged cigarette". The new complaint is supported by, among others, KWF and the Longfonds, the Dutch lung foundation.

The complainants think prosecution will follow this time, because tobacco advertising and misleading consumers are already banned. "This complaint is meant, for once, not to play catch-up but to step in while we still can," Ficq says.

Wanda de Kanter, chair of the foundation, says: "The tobacco industry's deception has now been going on for a hundred years."