When a cigarette is lit, the tobacco burns at high termperatures. This burning process generates 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 to linked smoking-related diseases by public health authorities.

IQOS Heat-not-Burn Technology heats 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 vapor with 95%* less harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.

Our clinical study participants who switched to IQOS also report that IQOS provides comparable levels of satisfaction as cigarettes. This supports our view that IQOS has the potential to be an acceptable alternative for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke. Based on the totality of evidence available for IQOS in comparison with continuing to smoke, we are confident that switching completely to IQOS is less harmful than continuing to smoke cigarettes.

However, and this is important: IQOS is not risk-free.The absolute best choice remains to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether. IQOS is not an alternative to cessation. It delivers nicotine, which is addictive.