Andre Calantzopoulos: 'A future without smoking can be a reality'

A future without smoking is possible, Philip Morris International CEO Andre Calantzopoulos tells Kathimerini in an interview in which he notes that "today we have the scientific and technological ability to offer smokers better alternatives that have the potential to reduce the harmful consequences of smoking."

I caught up with him at the Metropolitan Club of New York, on the sidelines of a Capital Link conference on investing in Greece, where he was honored for his "exceptional contribution to Greece." He seemed optimistic about the future of the Greek economy, provided there is long-term strategic planning, a stable taxation scheme, and less state bureaucracy. He noted that the crisis also had positive effects, mainly the fact that people were forced to recognize the many deep-rooted structural deficiencies Greece is suffering from and has to correct.

Finally, he...