Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday he plans to introduce legislation to raise the

Cigarette maker Philip Morris International has suspended a global social media marketing campaign for its new 'heated tobacco' device after drawing criticism for using social influencers under age 25 to sell tobacco.

The company's internal 'marketing standards' prohibit it from promoting tobacco products with youth-oriented celebrities or 'models who are or appear to be under the age of 25.' 

Last week, Philip Morris made the decision after Reuters sent several marketing posts and photographs to the company for comment.

They included a paid post plugging the product, known as IQOS, by social media 'influencer' Alina Tapilina in Moscow.

Tapilina lists her age as 21 on Instagram and poses with the product alongside often seductive photos of herself drinking wine, swimming and posing with little clothing in luxurious settings.  
 

"We have taken the decision to suspend all of our product-related digital influencer actions globally,' the company told Reuters in statement.

'Whilst the influencer in question is a legal age adult smoker, she is under 25 and our guidance called for influencers to be 25+ years of age. This was a clear breach of that guidance.'

'No laws were broken. However, we set high standards for ourselves and these facts do not excuse our failure to meet those standards in this instance.'

The company added: 'We were deeply disappointed to discover this breach and are grateful that it was brought to our attention.' 

Most of the social media influencers hired by Philip Morris overseas did not list their ages on Instagram.

 

However, a Reuters review of the firm's social media marketing of IQOS in Japan, Italy, Switzerland, Russia and Romania shows that Tapilina's online persona was typical of what the company called its social media 'ambassadors' for the device - rail-thin young women who revel in the high life.    

'I finally have the new IQOS 3, and I can confidently say yes to change... the level of harmful substances is on average about 90 percent lower than in smoke,' Tapilina wrote in an April post. 'You haven't yet switched to IQOS?' 

Philip Morris, in its statement to Reuters, said its suspension of the social marketing campaign is 'concrete proof' of its 'conviction to achieve a smoke-free world through socially responsible practices.'

Matthew Myers, president of The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, had a different take upon hearing of the suspension Friday night. The advocacy group collected some of the IQOS marketing images reviewed by Reuters.

Philip Morris, he said, 'is changing their behavior only when caught red-handed.'

The company, Myers said, has historically been 'the single most successful across the globe in making cigarettes fashionable to young people.'  

Over the past year, Philip Morris has increasingly publicized its 'mission' to prevent young people from using tobacco products. 

Last month, it issued a release calling on 'all tobacco and e-cigarette companies to do their part to guard against youth nicotine use.'  

When Philip Morris submitted marketing plans with a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) application for IQOS in 2017, its sample advertisements featured models appearing at least a decade older and wearing modest, professional clothes.  

In Japan, the intended audience for IQOS marketing includes the Instagram followers of Ayame Tachibana, a 27-year-old DJ and model. In one post, she shows off a Valentine´s Day message for the IQOS device, lovingly scrawled with multicolored pens.

'Happy Valentine IQOS. Love you sooo much!' reads the Instagram post from February.  

Alina Eremia, a Romanian actress and singer, holds a gold-colored IQOS in front of a Christmas tree.

'My list of resolutions contains 95% fewer moments without a smile,' says Eremia, who is 25 according to her actress biography on multiple movie and celebrity information websites.

Philip Morris says the IQOS - an acronym for 'I quit ordinary smoking' - contains up to 95 percent fewer toxic compounds than cigarettes.  

Compensation typically ranges from $20 to $25,000 or more for each post.

Reuters reviewed dozens of social media posts featuring the IQOS device. Many included hashtags such as #IQOSAmbassador, #paidad, and #notriskfree, indicating that they are IQOS marketing posts.

Many of the Instagram influencers featuring the products had tens of thousands of followers, and a few had more than a million.

Some public health advocates worry sleek new devices like IQOS and JUUL are causing young people to become addicted would have never smoked cigarettes.

As part of the FDA review process, Philip Morris pledged to market only to adult cigarette smokers once it begins selling IQOS this summer through a partnership with Altria Group Inc, which sells Marlboro cigarettes in the U.S. 

IQOS delivers about the same level of nicotine as a traditional cigarette.

Currently, US laws do not allow for tobacco advertising to be aired on the radio or on television. 

Although no current state or federal law restricts tobacco advertising on the Internet - including for e-cigarettes and devices such as IQOS - the FDA can use its authority over new devices to assert sweeping control over a company's marketing.

As a condition for allowing the device to be sold, the FDA is requiring Philip Morris to provide detailed analyses of the age ranges of consumers it reaches through digital advertising. Philip Morris is also required to submit any new advertising campaigns, including digital and social media efforts, to the FDA at least 30 days before it plans to launch them.

Any paid influencers promoting the product also must disclose 'any relationships between you and entities that create labeling for, advertise, market, and/or promote the products, on your behalf, or at your direction.'

Those rules aim to restrict youth access to tobacco marketing, the FDA said in a statement, 'especially in shared digital properties such as social media sites.'