Category: Heat-Not-Burn

  • Austin Smokers Invited to Join IQOS Wait List

    Austin Smokers Invited to Join IQOS Wait List

    Photo: momius

    Philip Morris International will hold several events in Austin, Texas, this weekend, to mark the upcoming introduction of its IQOS tobacco heating product in the United States.

    In anticipation of launch, current nicotine users who are over the age of 21 and live in designated areas of Austin will be given the opportunity to join a wait list to be among the first to try IQOS once the product becomes available.

    “We believe having a portfolio of satisfying alternatives can help traditional tobacco users switch completely and walk away from cigarettes for good,” said Stacey Kennedy, CEO of PMI in the U.S. operations “Austin is a hotbed for innovators, entrepreneurs and trailblazers. Cultural trends adopted here have a ripple effect, so it was a natural place to introduce IQOS in the U.S.”

    Austin is a hotbed for innovators, entrepreneurs and trailblazers. Cultural trends adopted here have a ripple effect, so it was a natural place to introduce IQOS in the U.S.

    Stacey Kennedy, CEO of PMI’s U.S. business

    The (re)introduction of tobacco-heating products into the U.S. has been eagerly awaited by investors and tobacco harm reduction advocates, who hope the product will help transition smokers from deadly combustible cigarettes to less-harmful heating products. Tests suggest that heating tobacco produces lower levels of harmful chemicals than burning it. IQOS has been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a modified-risk tobacco product.

    In Tobacco Reporter’s October issue, Cheryl Olson reflects on how the launch of tobacco heating products may impact the U.S. market.

    IQOS was briefly test-marketed by PMI’s former U.S. partner, Altria Group. In September 2021, the International Trade Commission determined that the product infringed patents owned by British American Tobacco and barred IQOS imports.

    PMI and BAT subsequently resolved their intellectual property dispute, clearing the way for IQOS sales in the U.S. In October 2022, PMI reclaimed the U.S. commercialization rights to IQOS, saying Altria had failed to meet certain milestones stipulated in their agreement.

     IQOS is already available in an estimated 80 countries, and since launching in Japan 10 years ago, it has helped more than 22 million people worldwide make the switch from cigarettes, according to PMI. A 2019 study by researchers at the American Cancer Society showed that cigarette sales decreased five times faster after IQOS was introduced in Japan.

    IQOS is now PMI’s top revenue earner, surpassing the company’s bestselling Marlboro cigarette brand.

    PMI’s latest integrated report shows that 38 percent of the company’s total net revenue now comes from its smoke-free business, which also includes the popular Zyn nicotine pouches .

    “For the first time in history, smoke-free products have surpassed cigarette combustibles,” PMI CEO Jacek Olczak said at the Technovation event on Oct. 9 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, according to Malaya Business Insight.

  • Battery Law Forces IQOS from Kiwi Store Shelves

    Battery Law Forces IQOS from Kiwi Store Shelves

    Photo: vfhnb12

    Philip Morris International pulled its IQOS tobacco heating device from New Zealand store shelves after a new law took effect requiring vaping devices to have removable batteries, reports RNZ. Tobacco heating products (THPs) are classified as e-cigarettes in New Zealand.

    RNZ says it has seen PMI emails sent to suppliers saying IOQS is “unavailable for purchase due to a regulatory change on 1 October 2024 affecting vaping devices.” In a statement, the multinational said it always complies with all necessary regulations, including on electronic devices.

    IQOS consumables, known as Heatsticks, remain available for sale in New Zealand.

    The news follows controversy about Associate Health Minister Casey Costello’s July announcement of a 50 percent cut to THP excise taxes—a move that critics say benefits only PMI, which is the sole supplier of the products in New Zealand.  

    Costello argues the tax cut will encourage smokers to switch to THPs, which are believed to be less harmful than combustible cigarettes. Costello’s plan is to have more than 7,000 people switch to THPs, which she sees as a tool to achieve New Zealand’s smoking reduction targets.

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has backed Costello, telling RNZ the excise tax cut plan was a 12 month trial to “see how it goes” with HTPs lowering smoking rates.

    Health advocates have accused the ruling coalition of caving to pressure from tobacco lobbyists. In late 2023, the government scrapped the country’s controversial generational tobacco ban, which would have prohibited tobacco products for people born after 2009.

    In a briefing published Jan. 31 by the Public Health Communications Center, three University of Otago public health academics highlight links between government members of parliament and the tobacco industry.

  • PMI Biggest Beneficiary of HTP Tax Cuts: Critics

    PMI Biggest Beneficiary of HTP Tax Cuts: Critics

    Image: Comugnero Silvana

    Philip Morris International would be the biggest beneficiary of New Zealand’s tax cuts for heated-tobacco products (HTPs), critics told Associate Health Minister Casey Costello, according to RNZ.

    In July, Costello announced a 50 percent cut to HTP excise taxes, arguing that doing so would encourage cigarette smokers to migrate to less unhealthy nicotine products.

    The government of New Zealand will set aside NZD216 million ($127.39 million) to pay for the tax reductions.  

    According to critics, the only commercial beneficiary of the tobacco tax cuts is PMI, which is the sole supplier of HTPs in New Zealand.

    In briefings to Costello, treasury officials questioned whether PMI would pass on the excise cut to consumers given its dominance in the market, according to documents obtained by RNZ under the Official Information Act.

    “It may be that the reduction in excise taxes is not passed through to consumers in price reductions but rather is retained by the sole importer,” the officials warned.

    In response to questions about her motivations, Costello stated that she had no connections to the tobacco business. “It’s completely wrong to suggest that the tobacco industry has anything to do with these policies, which are aimed at helping people quit smoking,” she was quoted as saying.

    Costello has repeatedly said the excise tax cut for HTPs is designed to lower smoking rates by offering alternatives for people struggling to quit. She has claimed that “HTPs have a similar risk profile to vapes.”

    Treasury officials reportedly cited evidence that HTPs are more harmful than vaping.

  • KT&G Releases Lil Solid 3.0 in South Korea

    KT&G Releases Lil Solid 3.0 in South Korea

    Image: KT&G

    KT&G has released Lil Solid 3.0 in South Korea, reports Maeil Business Newspaper.

    The new product is an upgrade to Reel Solid 2.0, which debuted in 2020. Lil Solid 3.0 offers two new usage settings that provide a differentiated sense of smoking. “Boost” mode delivers a rich haze volume and strong impact. Normal mode offers the same experience as Reel Solid 2.0.

     A “smart-on” function heats the device instantly when the stick is inserted. The fast charging allows the user to charge the device up to 50 percent of its capacity within 40 minutes.

     The recommended consumer price is KRW88,000 ($66).

     “Reel Solid 3.0 is expected to provide more satisfaction to consumers with upgraded user convenience and design,” said Lim Wang-seop, head of KT&G’s next-generation products business division. “We will continue to develop innovative products that can meet domestic and foreign consumer needs based on world-class brand competitiveness.”

  • Firstunion Technology Recognized in Dortmund

    Firstunion Technology Recognized in Dortmund

    Image: blacksalmon

    Firstunion’s Alkaid Light heating technology received an HNB innovation award on Sept. 19 at the InterTabac exhibition in Dortmund, Germany, according to a company press release relayed by Vaping360.

    That same evening, Firstunion hosted a launch event, showcasing how Alkaid technology addresses consumer concerns such as heating speed, flavor quality, device cleanliness, and health impacts.

    Alkaid light-heating method leverages full-spectrum light waves, mimicking the natural power of sunlight to deliver rapid and uniform heating. According to Firstunion’s Alkaid light-heating technical lead Zhu Bin, this enables the device to preheat in just five seconds, offering users instant satisfaction with a smooth, seamless draw.

    Firstunion claims the technology also delivers superior taste and health benefits that elevate the smoking experience beyond current standards. According to the manufacturer, Alkaid increases the nicotine release efficiency in aerosols by more than 40 percent and boosts total particulate matter by 20 percent, delivering an experience that closely mimics that offered by traditional cigarettes.

    Simultaneously, the technology cuts harmful substance emissions by 20 percent, according to Firstunion. Thanks to its innovative non-contact heating design, Alkaid requires no cleaning, ensuring the device delivers consistent, fresh-tasting flavor even after 5,000 continuous uses, according to the press note.

  • Cigarette Alternatives Gaining Ground in Europe

    Cigarette Alternatives Gaining Ground in Europe

    Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive

    Cigarette sales declined across Western Europe in 2023, but increased slightly at a regional level due to the strong growth in Turkey, where illicit trade was falling and the smoking population was growing, according to a new report published by Research and Markets.

    Sales of next-generation products continue to grow in Western Europe, with even an upcoming ban on disposable vapes in the U.K., their biggest regional market, not expected to significantly impact this trend, with Italy remaining the leading market for heated tobacco products regionally.

    Rising prices, due to the global inflationary environment and ongoing tax hikes, increasing health awareness and competition from next-generation products is resulting in declining unit volume sales of cigarettes across most of Western Europe, with little likelihood of this changing over the forecast period.

    Although slower than in the two previous years, closed-system single-use vaping products were still recording growth in the U.K. in 2023. However, with concerns about the throwaway nature of disposable vapes as well as their attraction to underage smokers, the U.K. government announced a ban on these products from early 2025, which force industry players to shift their focus toward open and other closed vaping products.

    The nicotine pouches category is expected to see strong growth over the forecast period. Sweden will continue to be the leading country market in Western Europe, but Finland is expected to take over from Denmark as the second biggest in the region over 2023-2028. This is due to the Finnish authorities deregulating the sale of these products in mid-2023.

    Heated tobacco products will be accounting for just over half of overall smokeless tobacco, e-vapor products and heated tobacco sales at the end of the forecast period, having recorded further growth in the coming years. Philip Morris International continues to drive the development of the category, rolling out its new IQOS Iluma devices and Terea sticks across the region, with the other tobacco giants also present with devices like Ploom (Japan Tobacco International), Glo (British American Tobacco) or Pulze (Imperial Brands).

  • Japan Tobacco to Process Leaf for HTP in Trier

    Japan Tobacco to Process Leaf for HTP in Trier

    The products prepared in Trier will be finalized at a JTI factory in Poland (pictured) Photo: JTI

    Japan Tobacco International is investing €30 million in its Trier, Germany, factory, reports Tagesschau.

    The company plans to build a new facility to process leaf tobacco for heated-tobacco sticks. According to the company, these products will be prepared in Trier and then completed at a JTI plant in Poland.

    JTI-Trier Plant Manager Peter Kilburg views the investment as a sign of trust in the factory and its workforce.

    According to the company, Trier is the only JTI plant worldwide to establish such a facility. It is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2026.

    The Trier factory employs about 1,800 people.

  • Activists Slam IQOS Maker for Cellulose Heat Sticks

    Activists Slam IQOS Maker for Cellulose Heat Sticks

    Photo: Kuznyechova Yevgenia

    Anti-tobacco activists contend Philip Morris International is trying to circumvent the Dutch ban on flavored tobacco and vape products with its Levia heat sticks, reports Dutch News.

    Made with cellulose rather than tobacco, Levia heat sticks are considered an herbal product and are thus not covered by country’s tobacco legislation. The sticks retail online for €6.60 ($7.21) per pack of 20 and are sold in two flavors—”island beat,” which is menthol, and berry-flavored “electro-rouge.”

    The Netherlands banned menthol in cigarettes in May 2020 and outlawed flavored vape products in early 2024.

    Campaign group Rookvrije Generatie says Levia “a trick” to keep on selling smoking products with flavor. “They might not contain tobacco but they are packed with addictive nicotine,” spokesman Dave Krajenbrink was quoted as saying.

    Legislators are reportedly considering an amendment that would extend the flavor ban to tobacco-free nicotine products.

  • PMI Mysteriously Postpones U.S. Launch of IQOS

    PMI Mysteriously Postpones U.S. Launch of IQOS

    Credit: F Armstrong Photo

    Philip Morris International has postponed the test launch of its IQOS heated tobacco device in the U.S. to the fourth quarter, reports Reuters. The company declined to say why.

    The pilot was earlier scheduled to run in Austin, Texas, in the second quarter, for which the company reported results on the day.

    Anti-tobacco activists have been seeking to derail the U.S. introduction of IQOS, arguing among other things that PMI exaggerates the number of people who have quit smoking regulator cigarettes using IQOS.

    In a joint letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration dated June 27, six health groups cited yet-to-be published independent studies contradicting PMI’s findings about how many IQOS users completely switch to the device from cigarettes.

    Meanwhile, PMI said the impact of the EU ban on flavored heated tobacco in the European Union has had a “slightly greater” impact on IQOS sales than previously assumed.

    This led the company to temper its expectations for volume growth in the heated tobacco category to around 13 percent for the full year, down from between 14 percent and 16 percent expected earlier.

  • New Zealand Drops Excise Tax by 50% on Heated Tobacco

    New Zealand Drops Excise Tax by 50% on Heated Tobacco

    Vapor Voice Archives

    New Zealand’s Associate Health Minister Casey Costello has cut the excise tax on Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) as she aims to make them more attractive as an alternative to smoking.

    Costello, also the Customs Minister, has cut the excise rate on HTPs by 50 percent effective 1 July—a move silently dropped on the Customs website, media reports claim.

    Costello refused to be interviewed, but a spokesman said she had reduced the cost of the products to encourage smokers to switch to safer alternatives.

    But Janet Hoek, a Professor of Public Health at the University of Otago, said the move seemed weighted in favor of the tobacco industry.

    “Certainly that is something that tobacco companies would have been keen to see happen,” Hoek said. “This is not advice that is coming from the Ministry (of Health). It certainly seems to be advice that is suiting tobacco industry interests.”

    Tobacco giant Philip Morris owns a leading brand in the HTP market, the IQOS, where sticks of tobacco are inserted into a device and heated, rather than burned.

    Philip Morris has lobbied for a cut to the excise tax on HTPs, telling the Tax Working Group in 2018 that the government should “establish a tax rate for heated tobacco products significantly below the tax rate” for tobacco.

    In a statement to media, Costello said that vaping had been a successful quit-smoking tool, and she wanted to see whether HTPs would also be a useful cessation device.

    “Vaping does not work for everyone and some attempting to quit have tried several times. HTPs have a similar risk profile to vapes and they are currently legally available, so we are testing what impact halving excise on those products makes.”