Category: Heat-Not-Burn

  • IQOS Iluma i Debuts in Japan

    IQOS Iluma i Debuts in Japan

    Photo: Ned Snowman

    Philip Morris International has launched IQOS Iluma i, the latest and most innovative addition to its growing portfolio of smoke-free products, in Japan. The launch marks the 10-year anniversary of IQOS, which debuted in Nagoya, Japan, in 2014.

    “We leverage science, world leading brands and commercial capabilities to provide better alternatives to our consumers. This anniversary provides an opportunity to renew our smoke-free vision and our ambition for over two-thirds of our total net revenue to come from smoke-free products by 2030,” said PMI CEO Jacek Olczak in a statement.

    “IQOS Iluma disrupted the category by introducing induction-heating technology that heats tobacco from within, to provide a consistent taste experience, no tobacco residue, and no need to clean the device. Today, we take IQOS to new heights, with the launch of IQOS Iluma i—the latest innovation in our smoke-free portfolio, offering a range of advanced features for a clean, seamless, and more flexible experience.”

    The IQOS Iluma i series offers three devices in Japan: IQOS Iluma i PRIME, IQOS Iluma i and IQOS Iluma i ONE. All three devices bring a range of adaptable new features.

    The new touch screen on the device’s holder allows users to see experience-relevant information quickly and easily. To personalize the experience, IQOS Iluma i introduces a new pause mode. By swiping up or down on the touch screen, users can pause and resume their consumption according to their preferences.

    The new IQOS Iluma i also includes smart features that help prolong the lifespan of the holder’s battery. Furthermore, the door for IQOS Iluma i is made from aluminum produced with renewable energy and the inner textile layer of IQOS Iluma i’s Prime leather-like wrap is made of 100 percent recycled plastic.

    “IQOS Iluma i is our most innovative offering to date and the new flagship in our portfolio of scientifically substantiated, heat-not-burn smoke-free systems,” said Bertrand Bonvin, president heat-not-burn platforms at PMI. “Like previous IQOS devices, it emits, on average, 95 percent lower levels of harmful chemicals compared with cigarettes. We are proud that consumer feedback continuously fuels our innovation, and IQOS Iluma i is a testament to that.”

  • Italy: BAT Fined Over Heated-Tobacco Ads

    Italy: BAT Fined Over Heated-Tobacco Ads

    Photo: BAT

    BAT’s Italian division has been fined €6 million ($6.4 million) for “misleading advertising of a heated-tobacco product,” according to Barron’s. Amazon was fined €1 million for the same reason.

    According to the AGCM watchdog, BAT and Amazon advertised the Glo Hyper X2 and Glo Hyper Air devices without making “information about the tobacco/nicotine consumption connected to the use of these devices and the prohibition of their sale to minors” clear.

    The products were marketed “as simple electronic devices and mere design objects,” the watchdog said.

    “This is seriously misleading conduct, which induces the customer to buy a product that poses health risks and is banned for minors,” the authority said.

    An investigation into the marketing of the heated-tobacco products began in April 2023.

    BAT plans to appeal the fine, according to Bloomberg.  

    “We are clear that our products are for adults only, and we adhere to the highest standards of conduct to prevent underage use of any nicotine product,” a BAT Italia spokesperson said. “We cooperated with Italian authorities and implemented all suggested changes to our marketing immediately. While we acknowledge the decision, we plan to appeal.”

  • IQOS Surpasses Marlboro in Revenue

    IQOS Surpasses Marlboro in Revenue

    Photo: Arkadiusz Fajer

    Philip Morris International reported net revenues of $9.05 billion for the fourth quarter and net revenues of $35.17 billion for fiscal year that ended Dec. 31, 2023. On a reported basis, the figures were up 11 percent and 10.7 percent, respectively, over the comparable 2022 periods.

    Performance was driven by revenue growth in both the combustible cigarette business, where pricing offset reduced volumes, and the company’s smoke-free operations, which continued to increase their share of the company’s business mix.

    “We are pleased that smoke-free products reached nearly 40 percent of our total net revenues and over 40 percent of our gross profit in the fourth quarter,” said PMI CEO Jacek Olczak in a statement.

    “This was led by the continued growth of IQOS, which has now surpassed Marlboro in terms of net revenues, confirming its position as the leading premium nicotine brand less than 10 years from launch. The fourth quarter also marked the first anniversary of our combination with Swedish Match, which delivered very strong results in 2023 driven by the stellar U.S. performance of ZYN.”

    PMI shipped 116.3 million cans of ZYN in the fourth quarter of 2023, representing growth of 78.2 percent versus fourth-quarter 2022 Swedish Match shipments of 65.3 million cans.

    “We are entering 2024 with strong momentum, and we expect it will be another year of excellent performance underpinned by an acceleration in organic smoke-free net revenue and profit growth,” said Olczak.

    PMI also expects to benefit this year from a recent settlement with British American Tobacco that resolves all ongoing patent infringement litigation between the parties related to heated tobacco and vapor products. The deal allows each party to innovate and introduce product iterations.

  • Spain Bans Flavors for Heated Tobacco

    Spain Bans Flavors for Heated Tobacco

    Credit: Jorge Argazkiak

    The government in Spain has approved a decree that equates the regulation of heated tobacco products with that of traditional cigarettes, prohibiting products with flavorings. The rules do not apply to all vaping products, such as e-cigarettes.

    In addition, it will now be mandatory for labels to contain warnings for heated tobacco products that they products are harmful to health, according to Catalan News.

    The country’s Ministry of Health is considering further regulations.

    “The ban will cover tobacco products with an aroma or flavor in their components (such as filters, papers, packaging, or capsules) or any other technique that allows modifying the smell or taste of the products or intensify the smoke. Filters, papers and capsules cannot contain tobacco or nicotine,” the report states.

    Heated tobacco products must include the following informative message on their outer packaging: “Tobacco smoke contains more than 70 carcinogenic substances,” with relevant accompanying photographs.

    This decree will enter into force three months after its publication in the official state gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado).

  • Japan Mulls Equal Taxes for Cigarettes and THPs

    Japan Mulls Equal Taxes for Cigarettes and THPs

    Image: Ned Snowman

    Japan’s government presented a proposal to the executive committee of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Taxation Research Committee to raise taxes on heated-tobacco products, bringing them to the same level as cigarettes, reports Yomiuri. The increased taxes are to be used to help strengthen defense capabilities. The proposal will be included in the ruling party’s tax reform outline expected to be compiled within the week.

    Taxes on heated-tobacco products are currently about 30 percent lower than the taxes on combustible cigarettes. Some members of the Liberal Democratic Party as well as cigarette manufacturers have argued that the tax rate difference should remain the same because “heated-tobacco products are less harmful to health.”

    The Cabinet approved a tax reform outline last year that stipulates the tobacco tax will increase by “the equivalent of ¥3 ($0.02) per cigarette” as part of the defense tax increase. A tax revenue increase of about ¥200 billion in expected.

    “After consulting with Prime Minister Kishida, we have decided not to make a decision this year,” said Yoichi Miyazawa, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party’s tax committee, regarding the start of the defense tax increase.

  • Herbal Heated Sticks Market ‘On Fire’

    Herbal Heated Sticks Market ‘On Fire’

    Photo: cirquedesprit

    Herbal heated sticks are rapidly spreading worldwide not only as a replacement for conventional smoking, but also as an alternative to heated tobacco products, according to new research from TobaccoIntelligence.

    These products provide an experience similar to using heated tobacco, but unlike heated tobacco products they do not contain any tobacco. Instead, they use a different substance—often tea—to hold flavorings and, sometimes, nicotine.

    Now, the new TobaccoIntelligence Herbal Heated Sticks Tracker casts light on this fast-growing but poorly understood market.

    It reveals that fruit flavors are the most popular in most countries covered, but nicotine strengths vary greatly. In some countries, such as Japan, only zero-nicotine products are sold.

    “Heated herbal sticks are typically cheaper than comparable tobacco products, and are also compatible with some heated tobacco devices. So from the consumer’s point of view, they offer a low-cost alternative—while for manufacturers, they can provide a legal way of providing flavors in countries where heated tobacco flavors are banned,” explains Eva Antal, director of market analysis at TobaccoIntelligence’s publisher Tamarind Intelligence.

    “We expect more product launches in more countries–but at the same time, we don’t expect regulators to ignore them forever,” says Antal.

    Currently, Japan and Poland have the most products available, although there are far more different brands in Japan.

    And Japan is also among the countries where these products are cheapest. By contrast, Germany is the most expensive.

    The Herbal Heated Sticks Tracker covers nine major markets: the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Russia and the U.K.

  • Roads to Rome

    Roads to Rome

    The MC Cosmic uses airflow technology to heat tobacco. | Photo: HNB Center

    There are multiple ways to heat tobacco without burning it.

    By Stefanie Rossel

    With the multinationals dominating the global market for heated-tobacco products (HTPs), one could easily think there are only two heating solutions—resistive heating with a blade or pin and induction heating. For years, Philip Morris International, which established a whole new category with its IQOS device, had been working on a third method—carbon heating of tobacco—but the company has since discontinued this platform. Recently, however, more heating solutions have entered the market. In their quest to optimize the user experience, independent manufacturers have resorted to other heating technologies.

    At the InterTabac trade fair, which took place in Dortmund, Germany, in late September, HNB Center of the Netherlands presented its MC Cosmic consumable. The associated device is powered by airflow technology. Also known as convection heating, it generates a stream of hot (350 degrees Celsius) air that flows through the heating chamber, surrounding a consumable that is filled with loose tobacco granules instead of a tobacco plug. A membrane at the end of the heat stick prevents the granules from falling out and contaminating the device.

    The granule-filled sticks are the first of their kind, says Gert Gorter, head of export at HNB Center. “The granules consist of 100 percent tobacco derived from tobacco leaves. Together with the heating device, the taste experience is very good.” The airflow technology, he adds, heats the stick more effectively and evenly than a pin, which tends to heat the tobacco immediately surrounding it to higher temperatures than leaf at a greater distance.

    We cannot add any flavors, but we can play with different sorts of tobacco and blends as well as with the number of grams of the granules in the stick.

    Gert Gorter, head of export, HNB Center

    More Like Smoking

    A subsidiary of VCT International, HNB Center began to work with granule-filled consumables provided by Yunnan Tobacco, which holds the patents for the sticks and corresponding device, almost two years ago, first trying them on a traditional device. “The taste was already better,” says Gorter. “You can smoke the sticks with a blade device, but this of course will perforate the membrane and create waste. We didn’t want that, so we thought of using airflow.” While airflow has been around for some time, the technology has improved considerably in recent years, according to Gorter.

    Gorter believes that airflow-heated granule-filled sticks provide consumers with an experience that is closer to traditional smoking than other systems. “Two years ago, we did a survey with smokers on our traditional heat sticks and included two packs of the granule-filled prototypes,” he recalls. “These instantly went to No. 1 in the perception of the participating consumers. The taste is fuller. It’s also our answer to the flavor ban on HTPs, which will be effective in the European Union from May 2024, allowing only tobacco flavor. We want to provide a heat stick that comes close to traditional tobacco smoking. We cannot add any flavors, but we can play with different sorts of tobacco and blends as well as with the number of grams of the granules in the stick; a higher grammage will result in fuller flavor.”

    The device, which is called My Choice NOVA, has a battery capacity of 15 sticks, making it suitable for the average smoker, who typically consumes 13 cigarettes a day. Gorter is convinced that his technology will make a significant change. “You can also put any stick in this device; the whole system of airflow is giving you a better smoke experience.”

    The company started its business in 2019, when it obtained the European distribution rights for the heat sticks from Yunnan Tobacco. HNB Center created the brands, designed the packaging and developed a marketing narrative. “At that time, PMI was the only HTP manufacturer in the European market,” says Gorter. “In 2019, we launched MC, which is the heat stick brand, and My Choice, which is the device. We started with traditional heat sticks similar to PMI’s Heets. What makes us different in this market dominated by the big four is that we work with independent players—distributors, wholesalers and agents who do the sales and marketing in the countries where we are present.”

    Currently, the company sells its products in seven countries, including Italy—Europe’s largest HTP market—Portugal, Spain and some Eastern European countries, and it aims to expand into new markets.

    Due to the flavor ban, Gorter expects the entire EU HTP market, where flavored heat sticks account for 70 percent of sales, to change. Flavored sticks also represent a big share of HNB Center’s business. The company is betting that its tobacco-flavored granule-based consumables will help offset declining sales of flavored products following the EU ban.

    HNB Center plans to launch its MC Cosmic consumables and device in several countries, starting in Italy, where HTP consumption currently stands at 6 billion sticks annually.

    Fast and Precise

    NVX Labs heats tobacco with an alternating electromagnetic field, not unlike that generated by a microwave oven. | Photo: NVX Lab

    Meanwhile, in Switzerland, NVX Labs is developing an HTP device using radio frequency (RF) technology. The concept is similar to that of a microwave oven: A radio frequency generator generates an alternating electromagnetic field within a cavity that holds the consumable. The tobacco plug inside the consumable comprises primarily tobacco and flavor, especially VG, PG and water molecules.

    These molecules absorb the radio frequency energy at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. Their inherent dielectric loss properties cause them to rotate and align with the oscillating field’s opposite pole, similar to how a bar magnet behaves in a fluctuating magnetic field. The molecular movement in turn generates heat.

    Ralf Dummler | Photo: NVX Lab

    NVX Labs’ technology allows for contactless, precise heating of the tobacco plug and distinct flavor profiles, according to Ralf Dumler, founder and chairman of NVX Labs. It also effectively manages the release of nicotine. “The flexibility of the radio frequency energy, adjustable within milliseconds, guarantees exceptional precision in heating the tobacco plug and aerosol release,” he says. “This technology eliminates the need for any metal pieces, metal foils or a heating blade within the tobacco plug, signifying a major advancement toward sustainability in line with the U.N. 2030 agenda for sustainable development.”

    The device operates within the ISM band, a universally accessible frequency range that doesn’t require users to obtain a license. Upon activation, the device prepares the consumable within 4 seconds to 5 seconds for the first puff. What’s more, the technology can achieve equivalent aerosol production at temperatures below 210 degrees Celsius.

    “Thanks to our technology, tobacco companies can now develop a consumable similar to PMI’s Terea, with a closed end of the tobacco plug but without the need for a metal component inside the tobacco plug,” says Dumler. “In our latest product developments, we’ve harnessed the power of cutting-edge materials science to eliminate the need for traditional tobacco or reconstituted tobacco in the tobacco plug or filling. This sustainable approach not only promotes an eco-friendlier solution but also enhances aroma and provides an elevated consumer experience—all without relying on substrates derived from the tobacco plant.”

    Apt for Medical Use

    Initially collaborating with a multinational pharmaceutical company, NVX Labs is the pioneering patent holder for RF HTP technology, according to Dumler. The intellectual property provides protection beyond reduced-risk products to both medical and recreational cannabis applications.

    Furthermore, the device can function as a conventional pharmaceutical inhaler tailored for the pharmaceutical industry.

    A chemist by training with a strong background in the pharmaceutical industry, Dumler had previously ventured into RF heating through his initial startup company. The inspiration to use the technology for HTPs, he says, was a natural progression.

    NVX Labs first crafted a handheld prototype demonstrating the feasibility of RF heating for commercially available HTP consumables. Additionally, the company offers its own commercially available evaluation and testing device, enabling tobacco companies to assess RF heating technology and develop their own RF heating products.

    Alberto Torreno, co-founder and managing partner of NVX Labs, is optimistic about advancing his HTP device to the preproduction phase within approximately 18 months. He believes that the vast HTP market might intrigue the semiconductor industry because his device relies on GaN and LDMOS solid-state semiconductors.

    Simultaneously, NVX Labs is developing a pharmaceutical product, a thermal metered-dose inhaler. The company is researching the potential of this inhaler for administering Salvinorin A, a compound that has shown promise for addressing treatment-resistant depression and substance use disorders.

    Although Salvinorin A has yet to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency, Dumler proactively included its potential applications in his patent. “Our pulmonary drug delivery device offers the unique benefit of heating a drug product with pinpoint accuracy and without excipients, which enables new applications of drug delivery within the pharmaceutical industry,” he says.

    A Ray of Light

    Sixhill, the HTP division of First Union Technology of Shenzhen, China, presented several devices using its Breelight heating technology at InterTabac. According to Sixhill, Breelight is the first infrared heating technology for tobacco. The company says it can effectively stimulate the release of tobacco aroma and nicotine due to the absorption peak characteristics of different flavors, thus achieving unique flavor styles.

    In this technology, infrared radiation travels through air or space until it hits an absorbing surface where it is partially converted to heat and partially reflected. But rather than warming the ambient air, this heat warms its object directly.

    Used in an HTP, Sixhill says, the technology heats tobacco more evenly and efficiently, improving the utilization rate of a stick to 90 percent. According to the company, IR heating improves the aroma quality, intensity and sustainability of tobacco. It also releases nicotine more effectively than other technologies.

    Sixhill’s Aurr device reportedly has a nicotine release rate of 95 percent and a nicotine transfer rate of 45 percent.

    Stefanie Rossel is Tobacco Reporter’s editorial contributor. An experienced trade journalist, she combines sharp reporting skills with in-depth knowledge of the tobacco and vapor industries. Prior to joining Tobacco Reporter, Stefanie was editor-in-chief at Tobacco Journal International, where she worked for a decade. Fluent in English, German and French, Stefanie covers tobacco news around the world. She is based in Germany.
  • JT Launches Ploom X Advanced in Japan

    JT Launches Ploom X Advanced in Japan

    Image: JT

    Japan Tobacco announced the launch Ploom X Advanced, a new model of heated tobacco device that has evolved in terms of taste and user comfort.

    The company believes the new device will play a significant role in its mid- to long-term business strategy.

    According to JT, the new device represents a significant improvement over the current model and incorporates advanced features, including:

    • An upgraded heating technology, dubbed “Power Heatflow,” which increases the maximum heating temperature from 295 degrees Celsius to 320 degrees Celsius to provide a richer flavor experience.
    • A new automatic heating function that automatically starts heating when a stick is inserted into the device.
    • Reduced charging time from approximately 110 minutes for the current model to approximately 90 minutes.

    The device will be available at convenience stores and tobacco retailers nationwide in Japan starting on Nov. 21, 2023, at a suggested, tax-included retail price of ¥1,980 ($13.22).

    Following the launch of Ploom X Advanced, JT will discontinue sales of the current Ploom X model in Japan.

  • Czechia Bans HTP Flavors

    Czechia Bans HTP Flavors

    Photo: diy13

    The sale of flavored heated-tobacco products (HTPs) will be banned in the Czech Republic, effective today, reports Expats.cz. A European directive requires that EU member states incorporate the ban into their legal frameworks effective Oct. 23. The directive does not allow for a transitional period for sale of existing stock.

    Slightly more than half of HTP users prefer flavored tobacco, according to Jiri Sochor, spokesperson for JT International. Sochor noted that based on U.S. ban results, some people reverted to traditional combustible cigarettes.

    The ban will not take effect simultaneously in neighboring countries, Sochor said, noting that only Germany has introduced it. Due to this, people are likely to purchase flavored products abroad.

    Flavored heated-tobacco products generate about CZK2.9 billion ($125.16 million) in consumer taxes annually, according to Sochor.

    Companies are responding to HTP flavors ban by introducing new, tobacco-free products. British American Tobacco, for example, has begun selling heat sticks with nicotine-infused rooibos tea. Certain tobacco firms have also opposed the ban, and the legislation will be addressed by the EU Court of Justice due to complaints from Irish companies.  

  • Poland: PMI Invests in HnB Stick Production

    Poland: PMI Invests in HnB Stick Production

    Photo: Hamik

    Philip Morris International will invest PLN1 billion ($229.81 million) in the production of heated tobacco sticks at its factory in Krakow, Poland, reports PAP.

    “Today, Philip Morris International has decided on a new investment. We want the production of a new generation of heated tobacco sticks to take place in our factory in Krakow,” Michal Mierzejewski, president of PMI for northeast Europe, told journalists on Sept. 12.

    “We estimate that this investment… will create many jobs,” he added.

    According to Mierzejewski, the tobacco sticks produced at the Krakow plant will be distributed both in Poland and on the international market.

    Since 1996, PMI has invested nearly PLN25.5 billion in Poland, Mierzejewski added.