Heated tobacco product

Not to be confused with Electronic cigarette.

A heated tobacco product (HTP) is a tobacco product that heats tobacco at a lower temperature than conventional cigarettes. The heat generates an aerosol or smoke for inhalation, containing nicotine, a highly addictive substance, and other chemicals. HTPs may also contain additives not naturally present in tobacco, including flavoring chemicals. HTPs generally heat tobacco to temperatures below 600 °C (1100 °F), which is lower than the combustion temperature of conventional cigarettes.

HTPs use embedded or external heat sources, heated sealed chambers, or product-specific customized cigarettes. Unlike e-cigarettes, which vaporize nicotine-containing liquids, HTPs typically use leaf tobacco or another solid form, though some hybrid models can use both solid tobacco and e-liquids. There are various types of HTPs. The two most common designs are battery-powered devices that heat tobacco leaf (e.g., IQOS, glo, Pax) and devices that heat tobacco using a carbon ember (e.g., Eclipse, REVO, TEEPS). Similar devices exist for heating cannabis.

A 2016 World Health Organization report found no evidence supporting claims of reduced risk or health benefits compared with conventional cigarettes. A 2018 Public Health England review concluded that HTPs may pose less risk than conventional cigarettes but more risk than e-cigarettes. Some HTP aerosols have been found to contain nicotine and carcinogen levels comparable to those of traditional cigarettes. Although HTPs may be less harmful than smoking, the UK Committee on Toxicity recommends complete cessation instead of switching to HTPs. There is insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of HTPs for smoking cessation, or on the risks of second-hand exposure. Limited evidence suggests that toxic emissions from HTPs are higher than those from e-cigarettes. Some smokers have reported HTPs to be less satisfying than traditional cigarettes.

Tobacco companies began developing alternative tobacco products in the 1960s. HTPs were first marketed in 1988 but were initially unsuccessful. The industry’s renewed interest in HTPs has been partly linked to global declines in tobacco consumption. The latest generation of HTPs has been promoted as a potential—though unproven—harm-reduction option. Existing smoking bans vary in whether they apply to HTPs.


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