Significant Tech of the Century – Heated Tobacco Products
IQOS, the brand with the leading heated tobacco product in the world, has an ultra-slick design and is sold in 66 markets around the globe. Could this smoke-free heated tobacco device be one of this century’s most significant pieces of tech and what is its main purpose?
“Philip Morris International (PMI) is transforming the tobacco industry by providing better alternatives to adults who continue to smoke cigarettes,” says Branislav Bibic, MD at Philip Morris South Africa. “Through science and technology, we’re able to provide smokers with a scientifically substantiated better alternative than continued smoking.”
So, what does this mean?
“When tobacco is burned it releases thousands of chemicals, some of which contribute to smoking-related diseases,” Bibic says. “By heating tobacco instead of burning it, the IQOS device significantly reduces these harmful chemicals and it does not produce tar, smoke or ash.”
“IQOS heats a tobacco stick (HEETS) to release a nicotine-containing vapour and because it doesn’t burn tobacco it reduces the level of harmful chemicals by 95% compared to cigarettes.” He adds. “It is important to note that this does not mean a 95% reduction in risk. IQOS is not risk-free and delivers nicotine which is addictive but there is a growing body of evidence to support the benefits of switching to heated tobacco versus continued smoking. Over 14-million smokers around the world have stopped smoking cigarettes and switched to IQOS.”
“Many experts agree that nicotine, while addictive and not risk-free, is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases,” Bibic explains. “Rather they are caused by the harmful chemicals present in tobacco smoke which is produced when burning tobacco - IQOS significantly reduces these.”
He continues: “The best choice any smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine altogether, however, most don’t, and we need to provide them with better solutions because smoking cigarettes is the most harmful form of tobacco and nicotine consumption.”
“Significant advancements have been made in the smoke-free product market over the last decade,” he adds. “Our primary focus is to provide adults who would otherwise continue smoking, with better, smoke-free alternatives. Heated tobacco products are just the beginning. We are expanding IQOS into a platform of technologies which do not burn tobacco.”
“The best option is to quit entirely but changing to a less harmful product is a better option for the world’s 1.1 billion adult smokers than continued smoking. Science, data, and fact have led us here and it is encouraging to see adult smokers trusting the science on smoke-free products,” he concludes.
For more information visit: www.iqos.com
