On August 17th, according to the Manila Bulletin, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized IQOS as an improved risk tobacco product to sell, consistent with the proposal of tobacco harm reduction experts, that is, the introduction of heated tobacco products (HTP) as a traditional cigarette. Better alternatives can see public health benefits.

Helen Redmond, an adjunct professor at New York University’s School of Social Work, said the introduction of HTP or heat-not-burning (HNB) tobacco products will benefit public health.

She pointed out that people generally mistakenly believe that pure nicotine can cause cancer and other health problems.

The professor said that it was wrong. Using nicotine is not a threat, because pure nicotine is not a problem. The cause of health problems caused by combustible tobacco is lighting tobacco. Thousands of toxic chemicals are released from burning.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded in a recent review that the commercialization of IQOS, a heated tobacco product developed by Philip Morris International, in the United States is very suitable for promoting the public health.

Redmond said that the launch of IQOS is an extremely important development for millions of Americans who continue to smoke and prevent nearly half a million deaths each year.

For decades, it has been known that the tar and carcinogens in tobacco smoke cause smoking-related deaths and diseases, not nicotine.

HTP is a smokeless device that can heat instead of burning a specially designed tobacco device to release delicious nicotine-containing tobacco. The most popular HTP brand today is IQOS, which is an electronic device that can heat shredded tobacco wrapped in paper to produce nicotine-containing aerosols.

Several tobacco companies have developed HNB products, such as Philip Morris' IQOS and British American Tobacco's Glo Pro and Glo Nano. The technology is constantly evolving and becoming more user-friendly.

A recent study by Dutch researchers entitled "Methods to Compare the Carcinogenicity of Tobacco Products: A Case Study of Heated Tobacco on Cigarettes" evaluated eight carcinogens to understand the possible effects on individuals who switch to tobacco. Health impact.

The researchers concluded that although IQOS is not risk-free, exposure to these carcinogens is reduced by 10 to 25 times and can be translated into a greatly improved risk profile.

The research was published on May 1, 2020 in the monthly peer-reviewed academic journal Risk Analysis.

Smokeless purenicotine products include vaping e-cigarettes and Swedish snuff.

In its annual review of all available evidence, the Department of Public Health always concluded that e-cigarettes are about 95% less harmful than smoking.

Redmond also pointed out that e-cigarettes and HNB have been shown to be effective in diverting smokers because they provide the same pleasure and relaxation associated with smoking.

The National Institutes of Health (NIHR) concluded in a clinical trial in February 2019 that e-cigarettes are twice as effective as nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and chewing gum in helping smokers quit smoking.

Electronic cigarettes and HNB products make nicotine consumption safer. In this respect, they are similar to patches or gums.

The key difference is that they look and feel like cigarettes, replicating the habit and the pleasure of smoking for those who switch from combustible tobacco, thereby reducing the risk of recurrence.

Redmond cited a Japanese case in which nearly one-third of smokers have switched to HNB.