Switching to heated tobacco products (HTPs) can significantly increase the likelihood of smokers quitting smoking entirely, reports the Inquirer, citing a study conducted by South Korean researchers.
Conducted by experts at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, the study also found no evidence to support concerns that HTPs serve as a gateway to smoking.
Using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the researchers observed that 99.4 percent of HTP users either switched from traditional cigarettes or are dual users, with only 0.6 percent being new smokers.
Anton Israel, president of the Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines, said the Korean study demonstrates how technology can mitigate the risks associated with nicotine consumption. “Nicotine isn’t the problem,” he was quoted as saying. “It’s the way it’s delivered through combustion. Smoke-free products like HTPs eliminate the harm from smoke.”
The Korean study, which surveyed 4,514 adults, also concluded that adolescents are more likely to start smoking with traditional cigarettes rather than HTPs. Among the study’s participants, 2,356 were nonsmokers, 1,316 were traditional cigarette smokers, and 842 were HTP users.
Heated tobacco products accounted for 12 percent of South Korean tobacco sales in 2021, up from 2.2 percent in 2017.