PMI to launch LEVIA, a tobacco-free product with 99% fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes

Philip Morris International (PMI) plans to launch a tobacco-free product called LEVIA soon. LEVIA is made from a cellulose-based material, a natural plant fiber. Unlike cigarettes, LEVIA contains no tobacco, but it does contain nicotine. In an interview with Daily News Egypt, PMI Vice President of Global Scientific Engagement Gizelle Baker explained LEVIA and PMI’s efforts to innovate in smoke-free products.

What efforts have you made in developing innovative smoke-free products?

Our goal is to help smokers switch to smoke-free alternatives. However, that is not easy. If it were easy, cigarettes would already have disappeared once people learned about their harmful effects. But many people still smoke, even though they know it is bad for them.

So we need to do more than just reduce harm. We need to offer products that are satisfying enough for smokers to quit cigarettes. That means we need different types of devices, because some smokers may find certain devices too complicated. We also need a range of price points so smokers can afford to switch. We also need to consider factors such as flavor, satisfaction, and ritual. Whatever aspect of smoking keeps smokers attached, we need to address it.

I also want to mention our ZYN product, which is very different from the smoking ritual. It still delivers nicotine, but without any smoke or aerosol. We need to keep innovating, giving smokers what they want while removing what they do not need, in order to reduce the risk of their returning to cigarettes.

You announced that you will produce a tobacco-free product. Can you tell us more about it and its features?

We hope to launch it very soon. The product is called LEVIA, and it is a cellulose-based product. Cellulose is a natural plant fiber that is also found in tobacco leaves. LEVIA contains no tobacco, but it does contain nicotine and propylene glycol. It produces vaporized nicotine, similar to vaping devices, but without using tobacco leaves. In this way, nicotine is delivered through the hand-to-mouth ritual and sensory experience, without the smell or taste of tobacco.

How much harm reduction does LEVIA offer compared with cigarettes?

We state that vaping devices emit, on average, 95% fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes, while LEVIA emits 99% fewer harmful chemicals on average. This is based on characterization analysis of the aerosol produced by the product.

How will LEVIA be used?

LEVIA will be used with the ILUMA device. The device can recognize the product inserted into it and adjust its settings accordingly. When LEVIA is launched on the market, we will update the firmware on the device to enable this function. This will help users get the best possible product experience.

When will LEVIA be launched?

A: The product is ready for launch. We are beginning “actual use” studies, which will be conducted as we bring the product to market. We are excited to offer smokers a new option to move from cigarettes to a tobacco-free product.

How do alternative products reduce the risks of passive smoking or secondhand smoke?

The main way they reduce risk is by not producing smoke. When you light a cigarette and leave it in an ashtray, it releases smoke into the room. This is called environmental tobacco smoke, and it accounts for 85% of passive smoking exposure. If you heat tobacco instead of burning it, this does not happen. So you eliminate 85% of passive smoking risk. The remaining 15% comes from the aerosol exhaled by the user. Cigarettes contain 100% of harmful chemicals at high concentrations. Depending on the product, alternatives contain 95% to 99% fewer harmful chemicals.