A Device That Heats Tobacco, But Doesn ’t Burn It, Can Now Be Sold in the U.S. Here’s What to Know About IQOS

After a two-year wait, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday green-lit the sale of a new gadget that heats tobacco instead of burning it. The device, which is called IQOS (pronounced EYE-kose) and made by Philip Morris International, works by heating tobacco-filled sticks, called Heatsticks, to produce a nicotine-rich aerosol. The FDA’s decision means the device may now be marketed in the U.S. — but even though IQOS has been shown to produce fewer of the cancer-causing chemicals found in traditional cigarettes, the FDA has not yet approved a separate application to call IQOS a lower-risk alternative to cigarettes. It’s also not entirely clear whether IQOS will help smokers quit. Philip Morris USA and its parent company Altria will sell IQOS in the U.S., according to a company release, and it will first be introduced in the Atlanta area in 90-120 days, an Altria representative told TIME. Specific pricing information is not available, but the spokesperson said it will be “priced to incent” adult smokers “who are looking for alternatives to cigarettes.” Here’s what to know about the IQOS device — and why some public-health advocates are concerned that teens will illegally use it. How does IQOS work? Traditional combustible cigarettes produce smoke when tobacco is burned at high temperatures. By contrast, the FDA says the pen-like IQOS device heats, but does not burn, “tobacco-filled sticks” wrapped in...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized public health Source Type: news