2023/05/04

Why are cigarettes harmful?

The significant harm that smoking cigarettes can cause is well-known, but did you know the biggest risks of tobacco/smoking come from when a cigarette is burnt? IQOS heats tobacco instead of burning it, thus offering a smoke-free alternative to adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking or use other nicotine products.

Reducing the harmful effects of smoking cigarettes

Reducing the harmful effects of cigarettes means reducing the harmful factors that pose a risk.

Although IQOS is not risk free, switching completely to IQOS is less harmful in many aspects than continuing to smoke.*

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

Unlike cigarettes, IQOS does not produce smoke, but tobacco vapor, thus 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.

What are the health risks and harmful effects on the body of smoking cigarettes?

Cigarettes are widely known to be harmful. A cigarette has to be lit in order to be smoked. Cigarettes burn at high temperature. As a result of combustion, ash, tar, and smoke containing a wide variety and large quantity of harmful chemicals are produced such as carbon monoxide and tar, which is harmful to health.

That’s why reducing the harmful effects of smoking cigarettes can be so important for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use other nicotine products. The heating technology of IQOS provides a sensation similar to smoking, switching completely to IQOS is less harmful than continuing to smoke.*

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

How does heated tobacco work?

Cigarettes burn at high temperature. IQOS heats tobacco to the optimal temperature avoiding combustion. This means no smoke and ash created. Instead, there is a tobacco vapor that contains on average 95% lower levels of harmful chemicals than cigarette smoke.**

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

IQOS tobacco heating devices use a ceramic blade alloyed with gold and platinum to optimally heat the tobacco from inside. IQOS HeatControl technology controls the temperature, providing cigarette-like satisfaction.***

Using heated tobacco can be less harmful than smoking cigarettes?

Many adult smokers believe that nicotine is the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. Nicotine is addictive, but the harmful and potentially harmful substances produced during the burning of cigarettes are primarily responsible for the development of smoking-related diseases. By removing combustion (or burning) and heating the tobacco instead, 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.

With IQOS products, we’re committed to providing a smoke-free future, with less harmful options for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke or use nicotine products. However, the best decision any smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether.

Examples of reducing the harmful effects of smoking cigarettes when using IQOS heated tobacco products

- IQOS does not produce tar because it heats tobacco instead of burning it. Tar is the residue from smoke after a cigarette is burned. It generates an aerosol residue that is fundamentally different from tar and consists of significantly lower levels of harmful chemicals.**** IQOS emits on average 95% lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.**

Important information: The absence of tar does not mean that IQOS is risk free. IQOS provides nicotine which is addictive.

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

- IQOS produces no ash.

- IQOS doesn’t burn tobacco, producing on average 98% less carbon monoxide (CO) and significantly lower levels of other harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.*****

Important information: This does not mean a 98% reduction in risk, and carbon monoxide is only one of many harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. IQOS is not risk free, and delivers nicotine which is addictive.

Not only does IQOS heated tobacco reduce the level of harmful chemicals, it also has no negative effect on indoor air quality.******

Important information: IQOS is not risk-free for you or others around you.

Sources:

* Source: Based on the totality of evidence available for IQOS in comparison with continuing to smoke. See Important Information.

**Reductions in levels of the 9 harmful chemicals the World Health Organization recommends to reduce in cigarette smoke, which do not include nicotine. See Important information on IQOS.com

***3 month clinical studies conducted in US and Japan with 160 adult smokers each under real conditions (ambulatory).

**** Reductions in levels of the 9 harmful chemicals the World Health Organization recommends to reduce in cigarette smoke, which do not include nicotine. See Important Information.

*****We measured the levels of the 9 harmful chemicals the World Health Organization recommends to reduce in cigarette smoke, which do not include nicotine, and these are reduced on average by 95%. See Important Information.

****** PMI study conducted under ISO standards simulating real-world scenarios and based on threshold limits established by existing air quality guidelines.

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