IQOS Science and Heat-not-Burn Technology

The science and vision behind IQOS.

IQOS is the combination of science, technology and vision.

Science behind heated tobacco

We believe in science. We believe it can change the lives of millions of smokers, who would otherwise continue to smoke. To this effect, we recruited scientists to work on an important idea: developing less harmful products that cigarette smokers can switch to if they don’t quit. Hundreds of scientists and engineers at PMI’s global Research and Development centers in Switzerland and Singapore have developed and evaluated IQOS, an innovative electronic device that heats and not burns tobacco.

Tested to the highest standards.

IQOS has gone through robust scientific assessments, including, to date, 18 non-clinical and 10 clinical studies involving thousands of participants. The totality of evidence available shows that, while IQOS use is not risk-free, switching completely to IQOS presents less risk to your health than continuing to smoke cigarettes.*

Do you want to find out why we can conclude this? Learn more about some of the key pieces of scientific evidence on IQOS.

Important information: IQOS ILUMA is not risk-free, and provides nicotine which is addictive.

Based on the totality of evidence available for IQOS in comparison with continuing to smoke. See Important Information on iqos.com.

Why heating is better.

Technology – the world revolves around it. Over the years, it has radically changed our lives for the better. The way we work, the way we communicate, the way we travel. By combining science and technology is how we developed a better alternative to continued smoking. IQOS is changing for the better the way adult smokers, who would otherwise continue to smoke, can enjoy tobacco.

IQOS heats tobacco instead of burning it for a simple reason: the burning of tobacco emits high amounts of harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide. SmartCore™ Technology prevents tobacco from burning, which means it significantly reduces the number and level of harmful chemicals emitted compared to cigarette smoke.

Heating technology.

Cigarettes burn tabacco, reaching high temperatures, and producing ash, tar, and smoke with high number and levels of harmful chemicals.

Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of over 6,000 chemical substances, around 100 of which have been linked to smoking-related diseases by public health authorities.

SmartCore™ Technology heats tobacco to a lower temperature, ensuring that combustion does not occur. Because there is no combustion, IQOS does not produce smoke. It generates a tobacco vapor that brings you a high-quality tobacco taste experience with 95% less* harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: It does not necessarily equal a 95% reduction in risk. IQOS is not risk-free.

* “95% less” represents the average reduction in levels of the 9 chemicals recommended for reduction in cigarette smoke by the World Health Organization, which do not include nicotine. See Important Information on IQOS.COM

CIGARETTES PRODUCE TAR. IQOS ILUMA DOESN’T.

Tar is the residue from smoke after a cigarette is burned.
IQOS ILUMA does not produce tar because it heats tobacco instead of burning it. It generates an aerosol residue that is fundamentally different from tar and consists of significantly lower levels of harmful chemicals.*
Switching completely to IQOS ILUMA is less harmful than continuing to smoke.**

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The absence of tar does not mean that IQOS ILUMA is risk free. IQOS ILUMA provides nicotine which is addictive.

* Reductions in levels of the 9 harmful chemicals the World Health Organization recommends to reduce in cigarette smoke, which do not include nicotine.
** Based on the totality of evidence available for IQOS in comparison with continuing to smoke.

Tobacco vapour vs smoke.

When using IQOS ILUMA, the tobacco vapor dissipates more quickly than cigarette smoke.*

* 85% agreement amongst 674 adult consumers in Japan and Italy, 2020 – 2021.

CIGARETTES PRODUCE HIGH AMOUNTS OF CARBON MONOXIDE. IQOS ILUMA DOESN’T.

Cigarettes burn tobacco, which produces high amounts of carbon monoxide.IQOS ILUMA doesn’t burn tobacco, producing on average 98% less carbon monoxide (CO) and significantly lower levels of other harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.*

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This does not mean a 98% reduction in risk, and carbon monoxide is only one of many harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. IQOS ILUMA is not risk free, and provides nicotine which is addictive.

* We measured the levels of the 9 harmful chemicals the World Health Organization recommends to reduce in cigarette smoke, which do not include nicotine, and these are reduced on average by 95%.

Indoor air quality.

Indoor Air Quality (“IAQ”) refers to the air quality inside buildings, generally based on the principle of ensuring the health and comfort of the occupants. Temperature, humidity and contaminants are some of the factors that can affect the indoor air quality. But, human presence and activities such as cooking, cleaning or smoking have been proven to have considerable impact.

To enhance our knowledge and understanding the impact of IQOS on indoor air quality we conducted studies simulating “real-world” conditions in an environmentally controlled room. Our testing methods are validated, and ISO accredited.

Our study shows that, because IQOS does not burn tobacco and it does not generate smoke and it drastically reduces levels of harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide, it does not negatively impact indoor air quality. This means that the few compounds we nevertheless detected were found at very low concentrations and far below the maximum exposure levels defined in existing air quality guidelines.

IQOS is not risk-free and delivers nicotine, which is addictive. For adult use only.

Switching to IQOS.

Our studies show IQOS provides cigarette-like satisfaction.*

Discover the studies

IQOS is not risk-free and delivers nicotine, which is addictive. The best decision any smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether.

*Based on clinical studies, aerosol chemistry and declaration of satisfaction level from 600 adult consumers in Japan, 2022.