Everything there is to know about HEETS for IQOS 

10/1/2024 

We have prepared this comprehensive material about HEETS tobacco sticks for IQOS. In this article, we answer a few questions about sticks. What tobacco is inside HEETS? What else is in the composition of HEETS? Why is there less tobacco in HEETS vs cigarettes?  Read the answers to these questions and many others below.

What are HEETS and how do they differ from cigarettes?
 

HEETS are tobacco sticks that are used with IQOS ORIGINALS.
Thanks to HEATCONTROL™ technology, IQOS does not burn tobacco but heats it instead. Inside IQOS there is a special ceramic blade that heats the tobacco in the HEETS sticks to a regulated temperature.
Unlike cigarettes, HEETS sticks do not need to be lit with matches or a lighter. 

When smoking a cigarette, around 2/3 of the tobacco is used to fuel the burning process. Since IQOS ORIGINALS does not burn tobacco, HEETS tobacco sticks maintain their integrity.
To guarantee efficient and optimal release of the true tobacco flavor using IQOS, we produce HEETS tobacco sticks following a special manufacturing process that is not comparable to traditional cigarette production.
The tobacco weight in HEETS® is optimized for use with the heating blade and IQOS.

What are HEETS sticks made of?

Each HEETS stick has two parts: a tobacco part and a non-tobacco part. 

The tobacco part is filled with carefully selected, finely ground and specially prepared tobacco.

The non-tobacco part of HEETS is made of three elements: a mouthpiece filter, a hollow acetate tube and a cooling plug.

Is there less tobacco in HEETS sticks than in cigarettes?


One difference between a cigarette and a HEET stick is noticeable immediately—the HEETS stick is much shorter. 

Why? When smoking a cigarette, around 2/3 of the tobacco is used to fuel the burning process.
And only about 1/3 of the tobacco is converted into flavor.

The HEETS tobacco plug has been designed to ensure that the optimal surface amount of tobacco is in contact with the heat blade.
The length of the heat blade and the tobacco stick are aligned so that the real tobacco flavor is released.


What are the non-tobacco part of HEETS?

The cooling plug is designed to cool down the aerosol before inhaling. It is biopolymer film made of corn-based material.

If you disassemble the HEETS stick after using IQOS, you may notice that the biopolymer film condenses and darkens. This is normal.
The film does not melt – though it may look as if it does.
This is a normal reaction when the biopolymer comes into contact with hot moisture coming from the aerosol.

The filter is similar to the mouthpiece filter of a cigarette. It is made of cellulose acetate. 

The airflow chamber is designed to hold the tobacco plug in place and transfer the aerosol to the cooling plug. It is also made of cellulose acetate. 

The tobacco plug in HEETS sticks contains tobacco, glycerin, water, guar gum, cellulose fibers, propylene glycol, and flavorings.
Nicotine is naturally present in the tobacco used in tobacco sticks.
Tobacco sticks do not contain GMO tobacco (genetically modified organisms).
And for mentholated variants only: menthol is directly applied on different parts of the tobacco stick. 

Why is glycerin added to the tobacco?

Glycerin acts as an aerosol former. It is widely used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.
The glycerin used in our products complies with either the EU or US pharmacopeia specifications.

 

What flavors do HEETS come in?

• HEETS Amber

• HEETS Red

• HEETS Bronze

• HEETS Blue

• HEETS Green

In both menthol flavors (Blue and Green), tobacco is infused with a special mixture of menthol at the flavoring stage. 


HEETS are offered as:

One pack of HEETS = 20 sticks

One carton of HEETS = 10 packs

 

IQOS is the first and only tobacco heating system authorized by the US FDA as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product.*

*This does not mean that IQOS is risk-free or that the FDA has approved or endorsed IQOS.