IQOS- Philip Morris To Launch New Heated Tobacco Product In The UK

IQOS Launch and Where To Buy

It’s been almost 2 years since we first posted about the IQOS by tobacco giant Philip Morris and their IQOS heat not burn device is causing quite a stir.

Check Out Our IQOS Review Here

What Is The IQOS How Does It Work?

IQOS innovative technology heats tobacco without burning, generating a nicotine containing vapour that yields on average less than 10% of the levels of harmful constituents found in cigarette smoke.

IQOS is the result of over a decade of research on a range of potentially reduced-risk alternatives to cigarettes conducted by more than 430 scientists and experts in PMI’s R&D facilities in Switzerland. Investment to date exceeds $3 billion.

Over one million cigarette smokers have already switched to IQOS since its initial pilot launch in Nagoya, Japan and Milan, Italy in 2014.

IQOS does not produce smoke or ash and the vapour has far less smell than cigarette smoke. It complements PMI’s portfolio of non-combustible alternatives to cigarettes in the UK which already includes e-cigarettes like Vivid and MESH by Nicocig.

Here is the official press release from Philip Morris:

Wednesday 30 November 2016, London:

Philip Morris Limited (PM UK), a subsidiary of Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) is today launching its innovative product, IQOS, in the UK with the opening of a store in central London.

IQOS is an electronic device that heats specially designed tobacco sticks at temperatures well below combustion levels.

As it heats but does not burn tobacco, IQOS generates no smoke or ash but a flavourful vapour containing nicotine, which does not adversely affect indoor air quality and produces less smell than cigarette smoke.

IQOS is the first of a range of potentially reduced-risk alternatives to cigarettes PMI has been working on for over a decade, investing over $3 billion in research and development.

PMI’s research to date demonstrates that IQOS yields on average less than 10% of the levels of harmful constituents found in cigarette smoke*, while still providing consumers with real tobacco taste.

The company is conducting extensive research to verify the risk-reduction potential of the product, including non-clinical and clinical studies.

Four of these clinical studies demonstrated that in smokers who switched completely to IQOS for the duration of the study exposure to the studied toxicants was reduced to a level that is close to that of smokers who stopped smoking in the same studies.

Commenting on the research studies, PMI Director of Scientific Engagement, Dr Moira Gilchrist said:

“Our studies on IQOS are well advanced. Findings to date demonstrate that IQOS vapour has significantly lower levels of harmful constituents and that the product has appeal to adult smokers, whilst having negligible appeal to those who have quit smoking and those who have never smoked.

The data to date clearly points in the direction of risk reduction.

The scientific research is complemented by our early commercial experience where, in less than two years, more than one million adult smokers have stopped smoking, switching from cigarettes to IQOS.”

IQOS will initially be available to adult smokers at the newly-opened IQOS store on Wardour Street in Soho, Central London.

PM UK plans to make IQOS available nationwide in 2017.

HEETS come in three different variants – Amber, Yellow and Turquoise.

Commenting on the UK launch, Philip Morris UK and Ireland Managing Director, Martin Inkster said:

“The UK launch of IQOS marks a major milestone towards achieving our objective, in the UK and globally, to replace cigarettes with non-combustible alternatives to the benefit of adult smokers, our company and wider society.

It is symbolic that we are opening our first IQOS store in central London, just around the corner from where Mr Philip Morris opened his first tobacco shop in 1847.”

PMI has already launched IQOS in more than ten countries including Japan, Italy and Switzerland and plans to expand to cities in 20 countries by the end of 2016 and up to 35 in 2017.

We all know how harmful combustible tobacco is and there are also question marks against how safe heating tobacco is. The majority of research into this is likely to come from Big Tobacco themselves so isn’t exactly a source that can be trusted, I’m sure more 3rd party research will be released in time.

I know I personally wouldn’t switch from vaping and if I were still a smoker vaping is by far the more attractive option of the two. But what do you think? Are you still a smoker? Would you switch to the IQOS over e cigarettes?