Heated tobacco products heat tobacco without emitting smoke or causing it to burn. Since the 2016 debut of an electronic gadget called IQOS, these items have recently become popular in Japan. Even though heated tobacco products are now widely accessible in many nations worldwide, there are still concerns regarding their influence on health and cigarette smoking. The key conclusion is that persons who moved from smoking cigarettes to heated tobacco had lower exposure to hazardous chemicals than smokers but greater amounts than those who ceased using tobacco.
Lower exposure was connected to several hazardous compounds linked to heart disease, cancer, and respiratory difficulties. It is possible that moving from cigarettes to heated tobacco might reduce the risk of these illnesses. However, we do not yet have enough data to corroborate this. These were short-term trials, yet people can develop tobacco-related ailments over time.
Most of the harm caused by cigarettes is caused by inhaling toxic chemicals from burning tobacco. This half-death rate has been demonstrated. Because heated tobacco products are not manufactured from tobacco, we believe they pose less danger.
Heated tobacco products may help public health if they minimize the danger of smoking and encourage individuals to stop.
One studies discovered that cigarette sales decreased after the introduction of terea iqos, indicating that heated tobacco products may be used to supplement rather than replace cigarettes.
However, it is probable that sales may fall because people stopped smoking but did not quit completely. Quitting smoking is preferable to smoking fewer cigarettes.
Consider How They Differ From E-Cigarettes
Another type of nicotine product, e-cigarettes or vape, has recently gained popularity. E-cigarettes heat liquid, which is frequently nicotine-laced, whereas heated tobacco devices heat the leaf. These items are governed by significantly diverse legislation and scientific principles. E-cigarettes are more popular than heated tobacco and have more research to support their claims.
E-cigarettes are not heated tobacco and can assist individuals in quitting traditional smoking cigarettes. People who wish to stop smoking may soon be able to purchase e-cigarettes in the United Kingdom.
Japan is one of the countries that has enforced nicotine e-cigarette prohibitions. However, heated tobacco products are still widely accessible. Heated tobacco is the only feasible alternative to cigarettes grown in Japan. Heated tobacco smoking is still uncommon in nations such as the United Kingdom and the United States. By the time IQOS was released, the e-cigarette business was already established.
Cigarette products dominate the competitive tobacco market. They have a history of distorting science to make cigarettes harmful. Many e-cigarette manufacturers are not linked with tobacco firms. Heated tobacco evaluation included safety research conducted by cigarette firms. However, there have been several independent research conducted on e-cigarettes.
The Pursuit Of A Safer Cigarette
Tobacco corporations claim to have been looking for safer cigarettes for decades. Some of the most dangerous initiatives to make cigarettes less dangerous, such as inserting ventilation holes in cigarette filters, have failed.
E-cigarettes were the first non-medical nicotine alternative to cigarettes and captivated many smokers worldwide. E-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, and the majority of producers are not affiliated with tobacco firms. Instead, many tobacco corporations concentrated on inventing heated tobacco products, which would give them greater control through patents.
Philip Morris International introduced IQOS to test markets in 2014, resulting in strong sales growth. Other tobacco businesses released electrically heated tobacco gadgets as well.
Much of the research on the safety of heated tobacco has been conducted by Philip Morris International. They applied to sell IQOS in the United States as a “reduced-exposure” and “reduced-risk” product. In 2019, IQOS was approved to be sold as a product with limited exposure in the United States. They determined that switching to IQOS minimizes your body’s exposure to possibly dangerous or toxic substances.
