TDR SKOPJE, DOOEL Skopje is part of the BAT (British American Tobacco) family, a leading consumer products company founded in 1902.

Through TDR Skopje, BAT's reduced-risk products are also present on the Macedonian market, and thanks to the results, the company has established itself on the list of 200 LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL companies in North Macedonia.

BAT is a multinational company engaged in the production and trade of tobacco products, and in recent years has been fully focused on redirecting adult smokers to smoke-free alternatives.

In North Macedonia, the company is present as part of the BAT Adria group, which is strongly positioned on the markets of eight countries in the Balkans: Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro.

Thanks to its strong presence on the Macedonian market and the influence it has on consumers, TDR has deservedly found its place among the Largest Companies in North Macedonia.

According to statistical data, North Macedonia is a country with a high number of smokers (48.2%). Hence, it is clear why we as a community and as a market need reduced-risk products, as a safer alternative to smoking.

BAT in Macedonia has begun its technological revolution, promoting 3 new reduced-risk categories: electronic cigarettes – VUSE, tobacco heating products – glo™ and nicotine pouches – VELO.

With this, BAT Macedonia has become the only company in this industry that is present on the market with all categories of reduced-risk products.*

Why are reduced-risk products a better alternative to smoking?

The harmful impact of cigarettes on public health has been written and talked about for decades.

Today, we are all aware that the best option is not to start smoking at all, or if you are a smoker, to completely quit this harmful habit.

But what if you cannot quit completely?

Then it would be best to reorient yourself towards reduced-risk products.

Let's recall the harmful effects of smoking

It is clear that today people are generally informed that smoking is harmful to health, and below we will list a few facts that you may not be aware of.

Did you know that the tip of a burning cigarette becomes so hot that it can reach a temperature of about 950˚C?

The world public is aware that the chemical composition of primary smoke (the smoke inhaled by the smoker) is different from the chemical composition of secondary smoke (i.e. the smoke released into the environment from the burning part of cigarettes).

This is due, above all, to the difference in the temperature of the two types of smoke.

Primary smoke contains more than 7,500 individually identified chemicals.

Of these, about 150 chemicals are known to be harmful, and 60 chemicals are carcinogenic.

Many of these come from the tobacco plant itself, and the amount of some of them varies depending on:

• the type of tobacco used,
• the soil conditions where the plant was grown, and
• the process of drying the tobacco.

Second-hand smoke is released from the burning tip of a cigarette and is a major source of environmental cigarette smoke pollution.

This type of smoke is much more likely to form between puffs by smokers at lower temperatures and lower oxygen levels than during the combustion process during puffing.

Therefore, some chemicals are at higher levels in second-hand smoke than in first-hand smoke, and some occur at different stages.

For example, in first-hand smoke, nicotine occurs in both the particulate and gaseous parts of the smoke.

In second-hand smoke, nicotine occurs primarily in the form of a gas.

Also, toxic and carcinogenic components of primary smoke are present in second-hand smoke.

According to the 1986 Survey on Measurement of Smoke Exposure and Assessment of Public Health Effects, several key factors that should be taken into account are highlighted.

• The most common acute effects associated with second-hand smoke are irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as the unpleasant smell of smoke.
• Smoke contains immunogenic components, that is, components that can activate the immune system. Almost half of people with atopic allergies show allergy to various extracts from the tobacco leaf in skin tests.
• Children of smokers are much more likely to have problems related to the respiratory system and a more frequent occurrence of respiratory diseases.
• Furthermore, scientific research shows an increased incidence of lung cancer in non-smokers.

According to studies conducted in the United States, Europe, and Asia, the chances of developing lung cancer are 30% higher among spouses of smokers than among those married to non-smokers.

The list of adverse effects that the environment suffers from exposure to secondhand smoke is quite long and can be discussed and has been discussed for decades.

Hence, it is clear why adult smokers in our country and around the world in the last few years have increasingly turned to alternatives that allow them to satisfy their own needs, without the risk that is imposed on the environment and passive smokers.

Smokeless alternatives, which work on the principle of heating tobacco and vapor, most often emit aerosols that have a significantly lower level of toxins than standard cigarette smoke.

BAT's innovative products are the right choice for all those who want to contribute to the protection of their own, but also public health.

Their presence on the Macedonian market is welcome for all those who want to turn to alternatives with lower risk, that is, to products with reduced risk.

Why are VELO, VUSE and glo the top choice?

VUSE electronic cigarettes

There is an increasing consensus among a large number of public health representatives that vaping products (electronic cigarettes) are a significantly less risky alternative to smoking.

These claims are supported by a number of studies and reports around the world.

BAT cites expert reports that provide strong support for the reduced risk of their products.

In the United Kingdom, Public Health England has published a series of expert analyses based on various surveys and reports, concluding that:

“Based on current knowledge, vaping products are around 95% less harmful than smoking.”

Heated tobacco products - glo™

Since these devices heat tobacco, rather than burn it, they have the potential to be less risky than smoking.

According to research conducted by the Department of Health in the United Kingdom, people who use heated tobacco devices are exposed to around 50-90% less of the “harmful and potentially harmful” ingredients, compared to conventional cigarettes.

The study also found that “compared to cigarettes, heated tobacco products are likely to expose smokers and bystanders to lower levels of particulate matter and harmful and potentially harmful ingredients.”

Nicotine pouches VELO

In Sweden, there is a large body of scientific evidence, from decades of research, that suggests that the use of “snus,” a type of traditional oral tobacco, is a significantly less risky alternative to smoking.

This was also emphasized by the US FDA.

In 2019, they formally confirmed that switching completely to a snus product, namely nicotine pouches, can reduce the risks of oral cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, and chronic bronchitis.

“Our own research has shown that our modern oral products have even fewer and lower levels of toxins than those observed in snus, and toxicological studies have shown that modern oral products have even less impact on human cells than traditional snus,” BAT says.

Regardless of which of these reduced-risk products you choose, you will contribute to improving public health and reducing the risks caused by the harmful effects of smoking.

TDR SKOPJE records significant growth in the Macedonian market

• In 2023, BAT generated revenues of 3,112,625,860 denars and achieved a revenue growth of 9.69% in one year.
• In one year, it has a revenue growth of 54.96%.
• It was ranked 92nd on the list of the Largest Companies in Macedonia.

It is clear that such results are likely a consequence of Macedonia following global trends and adult smokers in the country increasingly turning to smoke-free alternatives, in an attempt to make a greater contribution to the protection of public health.

Read also TDR DOOEL Skopje – Innovative products with reduced risk for a better tomorrow

*Based on evidence and assuming a complete replacement from cigarette smoking. These products are not risk-free and are addictive. This product contains nicotine which is addictive. For adults only.