PMI has a smoke-free vision

The IQOS 3 Duo is now officially available in our part of the world, a heated tobacco experience that boasts a hosts of highlights. Right from boasting Philip Morris International’s fastest charging holder to date, two consecutive uses without the need to recharge between HEETS and yes, hundreds of new ways to accessorize your device.

So how did the IQOS phenomenon start off, and how has Philip Morris International integrated user feedback and scientific substantiation while maintaining signature taste, sensory attributes and ritual?

For one, IQOS was first announced on 26^th June 2014, in Nagoya, Japan. Japan has been one of the most successful IQOS markets since the launch, achieving a 17% market share across all tobacco products nationwide as of Q3 2019. It is interesting to note that, owing to IQOS’s nature as a smoke-free product, the local Japanese authorities have since permitted its use in public areas which have traditionally been illegal to smoke in. Philip Morris International believes this is a promising indicator that their smoke-free vision, is becoming reality.

IQOS is not an e-cigarette

IQOS is a device which heats tobacco. While both e-cigarettes and IQOS, are smoke-free products, there are many differences. Many e-cigarettes in the market use a nicotine-based liquid or compound which is then used to create a vapour for inhalation, whereas IQOS uses tobacco in the form of stickswhich are heated to generate a nicotine-containing aerosol. The IQOS device uses a ceramic blade to heat tobacco to a precisely controlled temperature 350°C – significantly below the point where combustion occurs. By heating tobacco instead of burning it, the product offers a cleaner way of enjoying tobacco with no smoke, no ash and less smell.

IQOS can help smokers switch to a better alternative

The IQOS is one of Philip Morris International’s flagship smoke-free products, which offer smokers who would otherwise continue smoking a better alternative to combustible cigarettes. While not risk-free, the breakthrough smoke-free products have the potential to present less risk of harm than continued smoking. The best option for any smokers is to quit cigarettes and nicotine altogether. Indeed, the best choice anyone can make is to not start smoking in the first place.

No ash, no fire

Philip Morris International’s smoke-free products are for adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking. They are not for non-smokers. However, the primary cause of smoking-related disease are the high levels of harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke, – not the nicotine. Tobacco smoke is produced by the burning process when you light a cigarette, which releases the tobacco flavours and nicotine but also produces over 6,000 chemicals, of which about 1% have been identified as causes or potential causes of smoking-related diseases. Since IQOS is heating and not burning tobacco, it provides real tobacco taste without smoke and no fire, ash and less smell.

A new lifestyle choice for adult smokers

Philip Morris International’s goal is to offer smoke-free products that encourage every smoker who wouldn’t otherwise quit, to switch. While many smokers have quit smoking and switched, others do not find the experience satisfactory enough to convert fully. IQOS provides a ritual sensory experience closely aligned to that of traditional cigarette smoking, which many consumers find appealing and can help encourage full conversion away from cigarettes. In fact, more than 70% of smokers who commit to switching to IQOS quit smoking conventional cigarettes entirely. This is a promising indication of consumer acceptance and it is important in addressing one of the major global public health concerns – reduction of smoking rates around the world.