By Sam Blanchard Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 16:13 BST, 25 April 2019 | Updated: 16:15 BST, 25 April 2019
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One of the world's biggest tobacco companies has come under fire for moving into the life insurance business.
Philip Morris International, which produces more than 800billion cigarettes every year, has been accused of being 'twisted' for offering life insurance as well.
One campaigner said the multi-billion dollar company is 'looking to profit any way it can from addicted customers'.
The firm has set up a new company called reviti, which offers life insurance and comes with discounts for people who quit smoking.
Ex-smokers who switch to PMI's own IQOS brand of heated tobacco devices can get a quarter off their premium, 10 times the discount offered to those using other e-cigarettes.
Philip Morris International produces more than 800billion cigarettes a year and is worth almost $130billion (£100bn) (stock image)
reviti life insurance was set up last week by the tobacco company which makes Marlboro cigarettes, among other brands.
The company's website says it wants to encourage people to live healthier lives and offers discounts to people who kick bad habits.
It will offer a 25 per cent life insurance discount to smokers who switch to Philip Morris's own IQOS brand of heated tobacco e-cigarette for three months or more.
But this discount only stretches to 2.5 per cent if smokers switch to any other type of electronic cigarette or vaping device.
People who quit smoking altogether for a year will get their premium for half-price.
'It doesn’t get more twisted than a tobacco company hooking people on its deadly products, then turning around and trying to sell them life insurance,' said Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a US-based charity.
'Philip Morris is looking to profit any way it can from its addicted customers.
'Where will Philip Morris diversify next – perhaps into funeral homes, with Marlboro-branded coffins?'
PMI is one of the biggest tobacco companies in the world and is worth almost $130billion (£100bn).
It has 46 factories around the world with machines which can produce
