History and Market Positioning
- Philip Morris introduced Accord and Heatbar in the 1990s but later withdrew them from the market.
- Iqos was first launched in Japan and Italy in 2014.
- Since 2016, Philip Morris has been promoting a smoke-free future and focusing on alternative products.
- In 2021, a new Iqos system called Iluma was launched in Japan.
- As of 2020, Iqos accounted for 5.5% of the global tobacco market.
- Iqos devices are available in approximately 70 countries.
- Some countries, including the United States and Canada, regulate the sale of heated tobacco/Iqos.
- The FDA granted Philip Morris authorization for reduced exposure marketing claims but not risk reduction claims.
- The World Health Organization criticized the decision to allow reduced exposure claims.
- Philip Morris International sees the potential for six million U.S. smokers to switch to Iqos if cleared.
- The company is positioning itself in the innovative market of heated tobacco products to compensate for financial losses resulting from reduced sales of cigarettes.
- The company aims to create a smoke-free future and prioritize sustainability efforts.
- Iqos has faced controversy regarding marketing practices, including allegations of advertising to young influencers.
Construction and Waste
- Most Iqos models consist of a charger and a pen-like holder.
- The holder heats a disposable stick containing processed tobacco and glycerin.
- Iluma, a newer iteration, uses induction to heat tobacco sticks called Terea.
- The Heets/Heatstick system heats tobacco from a blade.
- Terea sticks have a metal insert and work through induction heating.
- Philip Morris claims that Iqos reduces waste and carbon emissions compared to cigarettes.
- The company promotes the recycling of Iqos devices.
- The Public Health Law Center disputes these claims, stating that used HeatSticks contribute to waste similar to cigarette butts.
- New products like e-cigarettes and Iqos increase e-waste.
- Responsible disposal of e-cigarette components is challenging.
Health Effects and Effectiveness as a Quit Tool
- Early studies on Iqos were funded by the tobacco industry.
- Independent reviews show some reduction in risk markers compared to cigarettes.
- Iqos use may alter mitochondrial function, potentially increasing airway inflammation and lung cancer risk.
- More research is needed to assess the frequency of HTP use and its negative health effects.
- A Cochrane review found that heated tobacco may help reduce toxin levels but its impact on quitting smoking is uncertain.
- Iqos is not a solution for quitting smoking, according to independent studies.
- Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) do not render harmful chemicals harmless.
- Some toxins are present at higher levels in HTP aerosols than in conventional cigarette smoke.
- Additional toxins are present in HTP aerosols that are not present in conventional cigarette smoke.
- The health implications of exposure to these additional toxins are unknown.
- There is very little evidence that Iqos is effective as a quit tool at the individual level or population level.
- The University of Baths TobaccoTactics website supports this claim.
- Iqos is harmful to health but probably less harmful than smoking tobacco cigarettes, according to the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) states that claims of reduced exposure to harmful chemicals with HTPs may be misleading.
- The WHO also emphasizes that reducing exposure to harmful chemicals does not translate to reduced risk to human health.
Legal Issues and Patents
- In September 2021, the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that Philip Morris International and Altria must stop the sale and import of Iqos in the United States due to a patent case filed by R.J. Reynolds.
- The U.S. International Trade Commission found that Iqos infringed on two of Reynolds patents.
- Philip Morris International plans to appeal the trade agency's decision.
- The ruling highlights the legal challenges faced by the tobacco industry in relation to new products like Iqos.
- Intellectual property disputes can impact the availability and distribution of Iqos in different markets.
Regulatory Actions and Public Health Impact
- IQOS causes damage to the lungs and arteries similar to traditional cigarettes (source: Fondation contre le Cancer).
- Addictive nicotine and harmful substances are also present in heated tobacco (source: RIVM).
- A systematic review suggests that IQOS may impact oxidative stress and inflammatory response (source: Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods).
- IQOS poses health risks comparable to regular cigarettes (source: Fondation contre le Cancer).
- The import and sale of IQOS devices have been banned in the US (source: CNBC, Wall Street Journal).
- IQOS causes similar damage to the lungs and arteries as traditional cigarettes (source: Fondation contre le Cancer).
- Addictive nicotine and harmful substances are present in both IQOS and traditional cigarettes (source: RIVM).
- The health risks of IQOS are comparable to those of regular cigarettes (source: Fondation contre le Cancer).
- IQOS has been banned from import and sale in the US, indicating its similarity to traditional cigarettes (source: CNBC, Wall Street Journal).
- A systematic review suggests that IQOS may have similar impacts on oxidative stress and inflammatory response as traditional cigarettes (source: Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods).
- Users of IQOS are exposed to addictive nicotine and harmful substances (source: RIVM).
- Some smokers switch to IQOS as an alternative to traditional cigarettes (source: TobaccoTactics).
- IQOS devices have been banned from import and sale in the US (source: CNBC, Wall Street Journal).
- IQOS is a heated tobacco product that delivers nicotine to users (source: RIVM).
- The health risks associated with IQOS use are comparable to those of regular cigarettes (source: Fondation contre le Cancer).
- IQOS poses health risks similar to traditional cigarettes, impacting public health (source: Fondation contre le Cancer).
- Addictive nicotine and
Iqos Data Sources
Reference | URL |
---|---|
Glossary | https://www.alternix.com/blogs/glossary-of-terms/iqos |
Wikipedia | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iqos |
Wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48744311 |
Knowledge Graph | https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/11c6cyqwwm |