Philip Morris International Accelerates the Global Expansion of Its Revolutionary Tobacco Product iQ

Since November 4, 2014, Philip Morris International has launched a new tobacco product developed in-house, called iQOS, in various countries. The market response has been enthusiastic, prompting the company to accelerate its global expansion. So far, this heated tobacco product can be found in Japan, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Romania, Portugal, and Monaco.

iQOS was designed by PMI’s R&D team and uses innovative patented technology to heat specially designed tobacco sticks while avoiding combustion through temperature control. This concept may still be unfamiliar to some adult smokers, but in countries such as Japan, Italy, and Switzerland, iQOS has been on the market for more than a year, and the “heat-not-burn” category is already well known. This world-class advanced technology provides adult smokers with satisfaction from tobacco, yet throughout the entire experience there is no ignition, no ash, no secondhand smoke impact, and less lingering odor. As is well known, when tobacco burns at high temperatures, it produces many harmful and potentially harmful compounds. Heated tobacco, by contrast, does not ignite because the temperature is carefully controlled, effectively avoiding and reducing the formation of harmful substances. Research shows that when cigarettes burn, temperatures exceed 800 degrees, at which point most harmful and potentially harmful constituents are generated through decomposition. These harmful and potentially harmful substances are then released through smoke, heat, and ash.

The operating principle of Philip Morris International’s iQOS is heating rather than burning. The compatible tobacco sticks used with the iQOS device are called heated tobacco sticks and are made from reconstituted tobacco sheets. After being inserted into the iQOS device, the electronic system controls the heating temperature of the tobacco so the stick is not ignited. During use, there is no smoke, no visible flame, no ash, and less residual odor compared with conventional cigarettes. iQOS produces an aerosol during use, and the harmful and potentially harmful constituents in it are lower than those in traditional cigarettes, a point that has been supported by in vitro toxicology studies.

Although Philip Morris has not yet made any health claims, its R&D team has already accumulated years of scientific data and is preparing a “Modified Risk Tobacco Product Application” for submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in order to obtain approval for such claims. According to the data included in the application, iQOS has the potential to reduce risk for users.

At present, the iQOS kit includes a charging case, holder, adapter, USB charging cable, and cleaning brush. Its compatible heated tobacco sticks are currently sold under the Marlboro trademark, with 20 sticks per pack. To date, they are available in thousands of retail outlets across Japan, and in European launch markets including Italy, Switzerland, Russia, and others. Nagoya, Japan, was the global debut market for iQOS and also home to the world’s first iQOS flagship store. iQOS is now being sold in many markets around the world, and with accumulated market experience, it is expected to become a leading product in the new tobacco category, while Philip Morris International continues to speed up its global expansion.