Alternatives to Smoking Cigarettes

Adult smokers today have the option of exploring different alternatives than smoking cigarettes.

Our information is for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke or use other nicotine products, interested in alternatives to smoking, and looking to make a switch to a different sort of product.

What are the different options for smoking alternatives?

There are two main groups of smoking alternatives:

heated tobacco, or "heat-not-burn" products,

and e-cigarettes.

Heat-not-burn products as a smoking alternative

Heated tobacco, or "heat-not-burn" devices are smoke-free alternatives. Heated tobacco devices utilize real tobacco that is specially processed, and formed into sticks. The tobacco sticks are then inserted into the device, where innovative technologies heat the tobacco to specific temperatures, but never high enough to cause the tobacco to burn. As with e-cigarettes, there is also no smoke produced with heated tobacco.

Some heat-not-burn devices utilize an external heating source, meaning the tobacco stick is heated all the way around, from the wrapping paper to the center of a stick. In this instance, the tobacco is not heated first; rather, the paper around the tobacco stick is heated first, and this may impact the taste.

Other heat-not-burn devices heat tobacco from the inside. IQOS™ uses HeatControl™ technology - special heating element in ceramics that incorporates platinum and gold tracks. It optimally heats the tobacco stick from the inside, for a constant taste and sensation throughout the entire experience. IQOS product features are valid only when a HEETS stick is used with an IQOS device. A HEETS tobacco stick is inserted directly onto the blade, and the blade heats the tobacco directly from the core. This allows the tobacco to be heated first, before the paper, which delivers a consistent taste and experience.

E-Cigarettes are an Alternative to Smoking

E-cigarettes are another kind of smoking alternative, but it does not utilize real tobacco. They are electronic products that heat and vaporize e-liquids instead, in a wide range of temperatures, from 100 °C to 250 °C. The vapor is drawn from the device through a mouthpiece.

E-cigarettes are also sometimes called "vapes" or "vaping systems". Some of these have an open tank system that is fully customizable. Other e-cigarettes have closed vaping systems, where they are either single-use, rechargeable, or contain cartridges.

How are smoke-free alternatives different than smoking cigarettes?

The main difference between alternatives like e-cigarettes or heated tobacco and smoking traditional cigarettes lies in exactly what makes the alternatives "smoke-free": no burning, no ash, and no smoke.

Cigarettes must be lit to be smoked, and lighting a cigarette causes combustion. The lit end of cigarettes can reach temperatures around 600 °C, and while smoking the temperature can reach above 800 °C at the tip. Causing the tobacco to burn, that produce an aerosol that contains far lower quantities of harmful and potentially harmful constituents than found in cigarette smoke.

On the other hand, smoke-free alternatives like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco eliminate combustion all together. With e-cigarettes, there is no tobacco involved, and therefore, no burning. With heated tobacco products, the tobacco sticks used in these devices are heated to specific temperatures without burning it, releasing real tobacco flavor with no burning, no ash, and no smoke. IQOS emits 95% less harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.*

Important information: It does not necessarily equal a 95% reduction in risk. IQOS is not risk-free.

IQOS has extensive and robust clinical evidence** showing that using IQOS presents less risk to your health than continuing to smoke

Important information: IQOS is not risk-free and provides nicotine, which is addictive.

IQOS does not produce cigarette smoke, it is less likely to bother people around you. By heating tobacco instead of burning it, IQOS vapor is less likely to influence the air around you, when compared to cigarette smoke.

It is important to highlight that IQOS product features are valid only when a HEETS stick is used with an IQOS device. Type and quantity of emitted chemicals when our products are used with other devices or other sticks are unknown.

IQOS has extensive and robust clinical evidence** showing that using IQOS presents less risk to your health than continuing to smoke.

Important information: IQOS is not risk-free and provides nicotine, which is addictive.

* “95% less” represents the average reduction in levels of the 9 chemicals recommended for reduction in cigarette smoke by the World Health Organization, which do not include nicotine. See Important Information.
** Source: Based on the totality of evidence available for IQOS in comparison with continuing to smoke. See Important Information.