The science and vision behind IQOS.
IQOS is the combination between science, technology and vision.
IQOS is the combination between science, technology and vision.
We believe in science. We believe it can change the lives of millions of smokers, who would otherwise continue to smoke. To this effect, we recruited scientists to work on an important idea: developing less harmful products that cigarette smokers can switch to if they don’t quit. Hundreds of scientists and engineers at PMI’s global Research and Development centres in Switzerland and Singapore have developed and evaluated IQOS, an innovative electronic device that heats and not burns tobacco. It produces a tobacco vapour that delivers tobacco taste and nicotine.
IQOS has gone through robust scientific assessments, including, to date, 18 non-clinical and 10 clinical studies involving thousands of participants. The totality of evidence available shows that, while IQOS use is not risk-free, switching completely to IQOS presents less risk to your health than continuing to smoke cigarettes*.
Do you want to find out why we can conclude this? Learn more about some of the key pieces of scientific evidence on IQOS.
Important information: IQOS is not risk-free. It contains nicotine, which is addictive.
*Source: Based on overall evidence available from comparing IQOS and continuing smoking.
Technology – the world revolves around it. Over the years, it has radically changed our lives for the better. The way we work, the way we communicate, the way we travel. By combining science and technology is how we developed a better alternative to continued smoking.
IQOS is changing for the better the way adult smokers, who would otherwise continue to smoke, can enjoy tobacco.
IQOS heats tobacco instead of burning it for a simple reason: the burning of tobacco emits high amounts of harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide. IQOS HeatControl™ Technology prevents tobacco from burning, which means it significantly reduces the number and level of harmful chemicals emitted compared to cigarette smoke*.
Important information: IQOS is not risk free, it delivers nicotine which is addictive.
*Average reductions in levels of a range of harmful chemicals (excluding nicotine) compared to cigarette smoke.
Cigarettes burn tobacco, reaching high temperatures, and producing ash, tar, and smoke with high number and levels of harmful chemicals. Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of over 6000 chemical substances, around 100 of which have been linked to smoking-related diseases by public health authorities.
IQOS ILUMA SMARTCORE INDUCTION SYSTEM™ technology and IQOS HeatControl™ technology heat tobacco to a lower temperature, ensuring that combustion does not occur. Because there is no combustion, IQOS does not produce smoke. It generates a tobacco vapour that brings you a high-quality tobacco taste experience with 95% less* harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.
Important information: it does not necessarily equal a 95% reduction in risk. IQOS is not risk-free.
*“95% less” represents the average reductions in levels of a range of harmful chemicals (excluding nicotine) compared to the smoke of a reference cigarette (3R4F). See Important information on IQOS.com.
"Tar" is the residue from smoke after a cigarette has burned. IQOS does not produce tar because it heats tobacco instead of burning it. It generates an aerosol residue that is fundamentally different from "Tar" and consists of significantly lower levels of harmful chemicals.* The totality of evidence available shows that, while IQOS use is not risk-free, switching completely to IQOS presents less risk to your health than continuing to smoke cigarettes**.
Important information: Although IQOS does not produce tar, IQOS is not risk-free, and delivers nicotine which is addictive.
*Average reductions in the levels of a range of harmful chemicals (excluding nicotine) compared to cigarette smoke.
**Source: Based on the totality of evidence available for IQOS in comparison with continuing to smoke.
IQOS heats tobacco, as opposed to burning it. As a result, IQOS produces neither cigarette smoke nor tar. It only releases water vapor, referred to as aerosol, which contains less harmful and less potentially harmful compounds (HPHCs) than cigarette smoke. The aerosol consists of tiny droplets that rapidly evaporate without remaining in the air.
Laboratory analyses performed by Philip Morris International show that the aerosol produced by IQOS devices contains significantly lower concentrations of harmful and potentially harmful compounds than cigarette smoke. On average, the quantity of HPHCs in aerosol produced by IQOS (with the exception of nicotine) is as much as 95% lower compared to HPHC content in smoke produced by the 3R4F reference cigarette. The lower values have been demonstrated to exist per single tobacco stick and per milligram of nicotine. An important finding is that the observed nicotine concentrations are not significantly lower compared to cigarettes. Thanks to that, IQOS is an acceptable alternative to cigarettes for adult smokers.
THE SOURCES OF INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE ARTICLE ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
Cigarette smoke is a mixture of the air and dispersed particulate matter produced by burning organic matter, in this case tobacco. In contrast, IQOS tobacco-heating devices cause the evaporation of a mixture of water, nicotine, and glycerin. Cigarette smoke therefore contains solid particulate matter produced by burning, unlike the aerosol released by IQOS, which contains liquid particles.
Cigarette smoke contains larger solid particles that are inhaled by both smokers and bystanders. These substances then stay in the human body. Likewise, they accumulate on surrounding surfaces and remain in the environment, where they are the main source of the pungent odor associated with cigarettes.
Observations using electron microscopy have confirmed that the aerosol produced by IQOS contains no measurable particulate matter.
Aerosol from tobacco sticks for IQOS devices only comprises tiny droplets, which rapidly evaporate or are absorbed, depending on the surrounding environment.
Cigarette |
IQOS |
Smoke |
Aerosol |
Water and glycerin account for 50% of the volume of smoke |
Water and glycerin account for 90% of the volume of aerosol |
Harmful substances |
Harmful substances reduced by 95% |
Contains solid particles of carbon compounds |
No solid particles of carbon compounds |
IQOS delivers nearly the same amount of nicotine as conventional cigarettes. A survey mapping user comportment detected a high degree of willingness to use an IQOS device instead of cigarettes. The ascertained user satisfaction with the product suggests that IQOS can be an alternative capable of providing adult smokers with a full-fledged substitute for cigarettes. The best choice, however, is to quit using tobacco and nicotine altogether.
Using IQOS delivers a nearly identical amount of nicotine as cigarettes, but the user's exposure to harmful substances is significantly lower from tobacco heating devices – it is comparable to the control group of abstaining smokers. For additional information, visit the Health section. Studies involving IQOS users have found that the level of nicotine and the time distribution of its maximum concentration in blood are comparable to those detected in smokers of conventional cigarettes. Likewise, the urge to smoke appeared at a similar frequency in both groups. The findings suggest that adult smokers who switch from cigarettes to IQOS do not feel the need to use their IQOS device more often than conventional cigarettes and that they consider IQOS a satisfactory alternative. Additional information is available here.
This conclusion is corroborated by the outcome of whole offer tests (WOT) performed prior to the placement of the product on the market. The tests showed that a large number of the participating adult smokers began using IQOS in the first week of the study, either exclusively (> 95% of all consumed tobacco products) or mostly (≥ 70% of all consumed tobacco products). These tests involving volunteer subjects were conducted in five countries: Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, and South Korea.
The outcome of surveys also consistently shows that IQOS is generally unattractive to adult non-smokers, as evidenced by low interest in using IQOS among respondents from the ranks of adult abstaining smokers and lifelong adult non-smokers. In this regard, interest in using IQOS is comparably as low as interest in smoking cigarettes. The results obtained in the cohort of young underage non-smokers are comparable to data collected in the group of their adult counterparts. These findings are nearly identical to the results of studies conducted after the product was introduced on the market, which detected only a negligible rise in the number of users who began smoking or started again after previously quitting. The conclusion can therefore be drawn that IQOS is not found attractive by teenaged non-smokers.
Tobacco tar is produced by the burning of organic matter. Tar is only produced by conventional cigarettes. IQOS and electronic cigarettes do not produce tar, because these devices do not burn tobacco. Tar is a dark oily liquid containing mostly toxic, carcinogenic substances. Information on tar content in tobacco products may be misleading, because the level of tar in no way reflects its composition and potential harmfulness. For that reason, the EU Tobacco Products Directive introduced in 2014 states that information on the content of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide on cigarette packs is misleading and liable to suggest that certain cigarettes are less harmful than others. It was one of the reasons why governments and health organizations have supported the removal of this information from cigarette packaging.
From time to time, the remains of tobacco from tobacco sticks may be found in your IQOS device. However, such residues are dried pieces of reconstituted tobacco that has lost some of its humidity by being heated, for which reason the tobacco’s color has changed as well. It remains tobacco, not tar.
IQOS tobacco vapour is less harmful than cigarette smoke. To demonstrate this, we conducted a comprehensive assessment programme that included 10 clinical studies on aerosol chemistry (as well as data from 18 non-clinical studies), and involved thousands of participants in the US, Japan, UK and Poland. Evidence demonstrates that switching completely to IQOS, while not risk-free, presents less risk of harm compared with continuing to smoke cigarettes*.
Important information: IQOS is not risk-free. It contains nicotine, which is addictive.
*Source: Based on overall evidence available from comparing IQOS and continuing smoking.
Cigarettes burn tobacco, which produces high amounts of carbon monoxide. 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. IQOS is not risk-free, and delivers nicotine which is addictive.
*Source: We measured the levels of certain harmful chemicals prioritised for reporting by renowned public health organisations, and these are reduced on average by 95% compared to the smoke of a cigarette (nicotine excluded).
Indoor Air Quality (“IAQ”) refers to the air quality inside buildings, generally based on the principle of ensuring the health and comfort of the occupants. Temperature, humidity and contaminants are some of the factors that can affect the indoor air quality. But, human presence and activities such as cooking, cleaning or smoking have been proven to have considerable impact.
To enhance our knowledge and understanding the impact of IQOS on indoor air quality we conducted studies simulating “real-world” conditions in an environmentally controlled room. Our testing methods are validated, and ISO accredited.
Our study shows that, because IQOS does not burn tobacco and it does not generate smoke and it drastically reduces levels of harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide, it does not negatively impact indoor air quality. This means that the few compounds we nevertheless detected were found at very low concentrations and far below the maximum exposure levels defined in existing air quality guidelines.
IQOS produces aerosol that mostly consists of tiny water droplets that evaporate in the indoor environment within several minutes.
Studies have been conducted by Philip Morris International and independent scientists to monitor the time needed for the aerosol from IQOS devices and cigarette smoke to dissipate in an indoor setting. The study measured the concentration of particulate matter in the air before and after the use of tobacco products. After using one tobacco stick in an IQOS device, the concentration of aerosol and particles in the room returned to normal within one minute, while the dissipation of smoke from a single cigarette lasted as long as three hours and 45 minutes.
The most recent study conducted by Philip Morris International shows that the bodies of non-smokers exposed to aerosol from IQOS devices contain no traces of nicotine or harmful compounds produced by smoke from conventional cigarettes.
To analyze effects similar to passive smoking, over 300 adult volunteers were on two occasions invited for a monitored dinner, during which tests were performed. During the first dinner, all participants were prohibited from using any tobacco products, and samples of their blood and urine were taken to determine the baseline values. During the subsequent dinner, IQOS tobacco sticks were used, and once again, blood and urine samples were taken from all of the subjects. The results showed that the bodies of the non-smokers present contained no measurable traces of nicotine or tobacco nitrosamines. (Nitrosamines are released into the environment by smoking conventional cigarettes and are regarded as some of the most important carcinogens contained in cigarette smoke.) The conclusions were drawn based on a chemical analysis of blood and urine samples taken from all of the participants before and after the dinner.
The entire study and the relevant data are being prepared for publication in specialized scientific magazines.
When tobacco is heated in an IQOS device, the genuine tobacco aroma is released, and it can be smelled by people around you.
Some people find the odor produced by IQOS aerosol unpleasant. It is because the aroma of tobacco is very specific, and not everyone finds it enjoyable. In contrast, other people find the odor pleasant. The important factor that must be kept in mind is that unlike conventional cigarettes, IQOS does not have a detrimental effect on indoor air quality.
Because IQOS devices heat tobacco instead of burning it, they are not a source of any smoke and do not produce sidestream smoke either.
Sidestream smoke is the main constituent of tobacco smoke in the environment. Sidestream smoke mainly consists of smoke coming from the lighted end of a burning or smoldering cigarette. However, IQOS produces no such sidestream smoke, because IQOS devices only release aerosol after puffing. Water vapor amounts to nearly 80% of the aerosol. Using IQOS in an enclosed space therefore has no detrimental effect on indoor air quality.
Our studies show that the satisfaction of those who switched completely to IQOS is comparable to that of those who continued to smoke cigarettes.* Discover more about our scientific assessment journey.
IQOS is not risk-free and delivers nicotine, which is addictive. The best decision any smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether.
*3-month clinical study conducted in US and Japan with 160 adult smokers each, under near real-world conditions.
Many years of research confirm that harmful and potentially harmful substances produced by burning tobacco are the primary source of smoking-related diseases and problems.
The only sure way of avoiding risks and diseases caused by smoking is not to start smoking in the first place. Aiming to reduce health risks faced by adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking, Philip Morris International has developed a class of products referred to as electrically heated tobacco products (EHTP). IQOS is one of these such products. This unique technology has the potential to reduce the health risks to which smokers are exposed by smoking conventional cigarettes. The fundamental purpose of developing smoke-free aerosol products is eliminating burning and consequently reducing the quantity of harmful substances.
The result of more than two decades of research, scientific studies comparing IQOS to the reference cigarette, and a USD 9.2 billion research investment is several versions of the IQOS device and a state-of-the-art line of vaporization products that use a tar-free nicotine solution.
INFORMATION ON PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTS IS AVAILABLE HERE.
The aerosol produced by IQOS contains much less harmful substances than cigarette smoke, by as much as 95% on average. See other sections for a detailed explanation. These figures have been confirmed by measurements performed using high-precision instruments in a laboratory and in accordance with standardized laboratory procedures verified by independent examiners. The significantly reduced quantity of harmful substances is also manifested by their considerably lower absorption and metabolization in the body. This fact has been confirmed by clinical trials performed based on internationally recognized ethical and scientific requirements for conduct of clinical studies.
Even more important, however, is that the main clinical indicators of diseases generally connected with smoking return to their normal values in smokers who switch to IQOS. The drop is so substantial that the values approach the clinical indicators found in persons who have stopped smoking cigarettes altogether.
The section below explains the risks represented by clinical risk indicators.
The findings do not mean that using IQOS is without risks. They show, however, the reduced content of harmful and potentially harmful compounds in aerosol produced by IQOS results in an important decrease in the impact on human health and a lower potential of the onset and development of diseases associated with smoking conventional cigarettes.
Philip Morris International commissions long-term studies and monitors events related to users of its products for the purposes of mapping the long-term effects of IQOS use on health. However, obtaining an unambiguous proof of changes in the population is a long-term effort of clinical research. For that reason, a number of studies with volunteer subjects are still under way. Detailed information on these studies is provided in this article.
Among other methods, a specially designed mathematical model is currently used to assess the potential of IQOS devices to reduce or completely eliminate health risks associated with the use of tobacco products in relation to the age of users. The model indicates that switching to reduced-risk tobacco products represents mainly the prevention of health risks for smokers aged 20 to 30 years, while it tends to reduce the degree of these risks in regard to smokers aged 40 years and older.
According to a Swiss non-clinical study, IQOS stains your teeth significantly less than cigarettes. If your teeth are already stained, however, switching to IQOS will make no difference. The Swiss study was carried out using human teeth and the most common dental materials. Unlike in real-life conditions, the tested teeth were not exposed to other substances which cause staining, such as coffee, tea, and wine.
In addition, an online survey has been conducted in Italy, Japan, Romania, Spain, and Switzerland among 3,157 former smokers who have switched to IQOS to determine the effect of using IQOS on their breath compared to smoking cigarettes. Based on the experiences reported by the respondents, using IQOS rather than smoking cigarettes results in fresher breath.
Currently available data from studies into HPHC exposure reduction show that fully switching to IQOS is not without risks. However, using IQOS represents a lesser health risk than continuing to smoke conventional cigarettes.
The latest exposure response study (ERS) has been designed to respond to important questions regarding the impact of tobacco heating products in the real-life conditions in which they are used. The ERS is the first large-scope clinical research analyzing the potential of reducing the health risks of smoke-free products to which their users are exposed. The extensive study, which monitored 984 volunteers over six months, measured changes in clinical risk indicators in healthy smokers who have either switched to IQOS tobacco-heating devices or continued smoking their favorite brand of conventional cigarettes. This study lasted six months and yielded the following findings:
The results were obtained despite the fact that some of the monitored IQOS users simultaneously continued smoking conventional cigarettes (at a ratio of 30% cigarettes versus IQOS). Apart from the abovementioned eight main clinical risk indicators, a favorable trend was detected in regard to other clinical factors as well. The outcome of the ERS therefore confirms the ensemble of the findings of previous studies, all of which point to a reduction in health risks.
Smoke-free products are not risk free. They contain nicotine, which is addictive. They are intended exclusively for adults who would continue to smoke or use other nicotine products. The best choice for consumers concerned about their health is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether.
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