In March 2008, upon spinning off from Altria, Philip Morris International (PMI) became the largest multinational tobacco company in the world, with products sold in approximately 160 countries and an estimated 15.6% share of the international cigarette market outside the U.S..

The company's 2008 Annual Report details how well the company is doing worldwide since being "unleashed" -- with net revenues up 15.2% from the year before and cigarette volume up 2.5% to a whopping 859.8 billion units (6 1/2 cigarette packs for each and every person in the world!). The company credits "emerging markets" for driving its growth, with net revenues up 21.8% in Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, 10.1% in Asia, and 23% in Latin America and Canada. In short, PMI is a colossal and ever-growing global public health disaster that must be contained.

On May 5, 2009, PMI held its inaugural shareholder meeting (as an independent company) in New York City. On that day, tobacco control groups and advocates around the world* engaged in activities to draw attention to the company's aggressive global expansion and need for governments to take effective action to counter it.

More information:

• Summary of Activities & Media Coverage
• Partial transcript of 2009 PMI shareholder meeting
• Lyin' Louis: Setting the Record Straight
• Webcast (audio only) of the meeting (available until June 4, 2009)
• Photos and specific examples of PMI marketing, promotions, and sponsorships targeting youth
• Business Week (May 4 cover story): Philip Morris' Global Race: Freed from Altria, Philip Morris International CEO Louis Camilleri is pushing hard to boost global sales before U.S.-style tobacco restrictions spread
• PMI's 2009 shareholder meeting: 2008 Annual Report and 2009 Proxy Statement
• Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: www.fctc.org
• Tobacco's global toll: www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/tobacco_facts/en/index.html

* Approximately 50 groups in 20 countries planned to participate in the international day of action

For more information about the International Day of Action: