Heated Tobacco Products: Poised to Eventually Replace Cigarettes

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(What's up ?) 4 years ago

While Lebanon remains one of the countries with the highest smoking rates, be it in the region or even worldwide, one can't but notice how the tobacco consumption behavior is somewhat changing among the country's smoking population. Gradually realizing the real dangers of smoking and highly aware of the risk factor posed by cigarettes, a significant segment of Lebanon's adult smoking population is going on the hunt for cleaner, better and innovative alternatives that hold the potential to be less harmful than cigarettes. As such, we're starting to see a shift in smoking behavior.

Devices such as IQOS - Philip Morris International (PMI)'s flagship heated tobacco product - have been growing in popularity among the local smoking community - especially among adult smokers who want to continue enjoying tobacco products, away from the inconveniences of smoking cigarettes.

Although the best choice remains to either not to start smoking or kick the habit altogether, as envisioned in the company's Unsmoke Your World campaign manifesto, the second best choice would be to switch to better alternatives.

The result of years of research and development, IQOS heats tobacco at up to 350 degrees Celsius instead of burning it at around 700 degrees, thus eliminating the principle of combustion, which in turn leads to its tobacco vapor/aerosol being fundamentally different from cigarette smoke, by containing on average 95% lower levels of harmful chemical compared to the smoke of a burning cigarette. However, it does not necessarily equal a 95% reduction in risk, as IQOS is not risk-free. It delivers nicotine, which is addictive.

In other words, IQOS eliminates combustion - which is believed by scientists and the medical community to be the main generator of harmful chemicals that could lead to smoking-related diseases - while maintaining the same amount of nicotine as in cigarettes, which in turn is an important driver for smokers to shift away from cigarettes. In fact, FDA experts have concluded that the main cause of the harm generated from smoking are the toxic chemicals found in smoke, and mostly generated by the burning of tobacco - not in the nicotine. In 2017, Scott Gottlieb, then FDA Commissioner, actually stated that "it's not the nicotine that kills you, it's all the other carcinogens in lighting tobacco on fire." This, however, does not mean IQOS is risk-free, given that it contains nicotine which, despite not being the primary cause of smoking-related diseases, is still an addictive substance that is not without risk.

Recognizing the harms of smoking cigarettes, and understanding the millions of men and women who would otherwise continue to smoke while seeking better alternatives for them and those around them, PMI has invested more than USD 6 billion since 2008 in fundamental research, product development, scientific substantiation and manufacturing capacity of smoke-free products which could offer an alternative for traditional cigarettes. The company also employed more than 400 scientists, technicians and engineers whose sole mission is to research better ways for consumers to enjoy tobacco, away from the harmful effects of cigarettes.

And because it's based on a proprietary HeatControl technology that heats tobacco instead of burning it, IQOS generates no fire, no ash, and no smoke. As such, it leaves less smell on and around smokers than cigarettes. It also leaves a less unpleasant aftertaste and a better breath than after smoking a cigarette. Consequently, IQOS users feel more comfortable being around others. Moreover, the tobacco vapor that IQOS generates contains mostly water and nicotine, and will therefore leave significantly less stains than cigarettes smoke on everything it comes in contact to, like teeth. Put differently, IQOS is not a source of second-hand smoking.

To date, over 10 million smokers worldwide have made the switch to IQOS, out of whom around 8 million who have quit cigarettes completely¹. Company projections point to around 40 million PMI cigarette smokers switching to smoke-free products by 2025.