IQOS or “I Quit Original Smoking”, as some would say, is a fairly new method of consuming tobacco products. And like all new technologies, these ‘heat not burn’ devices have also been a target of many myths to misinform or even discredit consumers into using this device for alternative nicotine consumption.
So if you’re an adult smoker who’s planning to switch from traditional smoking to an IQOS heating system, this article is for you. Read more as we’ll be setting the facts straight about the different IQOS myths and separate these claims from the truth about these smokeless devices.
The Concept Behind The ‘Heat Not Burn’ Technology Of IQOS
The first version of heated tobacco products can be traced back to the 1980s, but the first IQOS was introduced in Japan and Italy in 2014 by Philip Morris International. This was the first recorded branding of the device and it was sold to the public to give smokers an alternative method of consuming tobacco products, which was eventually rolled out and made available to different countries years after.
The IQOS technology was developed by the leading tobacco brand in 2008 with careful deliberation and substantial research before releasing to the market. The company was dedicated to providing an effective smoking alternative to its consumers that they invested significant time and money (10 years of researching and over $6 billion investment, to be exact) with more than 400 engineers and scientists involved in the product development.
Today, 10.6 million adult cigarette smokers have already switched to IQOS because they can still enjoy the true taste of tobacco without being exposed to 95% of harmful chemicals in cigarettes. Although, it’s also important to take note that IQOS is not a risk-free type of smoking device, but it does provide more benefits which is why it is a better choice compared to traditional cigarette smoking. To be clear, the “95% less” only represents the average reduction of harmful chemicals as compared to the level of chemicals you’ll get when smoking a conventional cigarette stick.
Currently, there are 3 types of IQOS devices sold in the market today: the IQOS 3 DUO device, IQOS 3 Multi device, and IQOS 2.4 Plus device. And you can avail of these devices online by visiting Philip Morris’ official website or through any of the accredited sellers like TastySticks.com.
Clearing The Smoke Off These Circulating Myths About IQOS
In this section, we’re going to debunk some of the common myths associated with IQOS and the use of this smokeless device:
Myth 1: It Should Be Read Per Letter Like Most Abbreviations
Fact: As previously mentioned, IQOS is an abbreviation of “I Quit Original Smoking” according to most smoking enthusiasts, though it’s not yet confirmed by its manufacturer. And it should not be read per letter (I-Q-O-S) but the correct way of reading is IQOS (pronounced as ‘eye-kohs’).
On the other hand, some sources say that IQOS is not an abbreviation but the name of the brand itself. And it was named that way to indicate a turning point in using an alternative smoking device that was innovated with modern technology.
Myth 2: Heat Not Burn Product And Cigarette Smoking Are The Same
Fact: Smokeless devices like IQOS are not the same as traditional smoking since when you smoke, you burn the tobacco to absorb all the taste, flavors, and even harmful chemicals of the cigarette. On the other hand, the IQOS system heats the tobacco sticks without necessarily burning the HeatStick to release the same taste and flavor without being exposed to harmful chemicals (except nicotine).
Myth 3: You Can Use Typical Cigarettes With Your IQOS Device
Fact: Using traditional cigarettes with your IQOS device is not advisable since cigarettes are designed to be burned. While HeatSticks, or also known as HEETS are specially designed sticks which are designed for heating and exclusive for IQOS unit use ONLY.
And although it looks like a typical cigarette, only shorter, the HeatSticks are made with a polymer-film filter, hollow acetate tube, cellulose-acetate mouthpiece, and mouth-end papers.
Myth 4: Smoking With An IQOS Device Is Just The Same As Vaping
Fact: This is actually one of the common myths about IQOS that is circulating on the internet today. And that’s probably because they both use batteries in order to function. But the simple answer to this is no since vaping burns the juice to turn into vapor before being inhaled by the user. And the specific liquids, or also known as vape juice or e-liquid, contain nicotine and various flavorings from fruity to utterly bizarre flavors like garlic and roast chicken.
On the other hand, IQOS units heat tobacco sticks within a specific temperature (up to 350°C), which is just enough to release the nicotine from the HeatSticks without causing combustion.
Moreover, the other thing that sets IQOS units apart from vape mods and e-cigarettes is IQOS uses real tobacco sticks while vapes doesn’t. And even if the vape juice tastes like real tobacco, it’s just made from ingredients to imitate the flavor of tobacco.
Myth 5: IQOS Devices Produce Smoke
Fact: IQOS is a non-combustible product by heating the tobacco to produce nicotine. And because of its heating system, the HeatSticks are heated through controlled temperature to prevent them from burning. As a result, no smoke is produced but rather vapor – which makes the product more preferable since it has less smell than traditional cigarettes. In addition, the vapor dissipates faster after puffing out than cigarette smoke.
Myth 6: You Can Use The IQOS Product Without Nicotine
Fact: To be clear, the IQOS device itself does not contain nicotine, but the HEETS sticks do because it is made of real tobacco. And nicotine is a naturally occurring substance that is released when the tobacco is burned or heated.
Myth 7: IQOS Is Design To Help The User Quit Smoking
Fact: IQOS is not designed for adult smokers to quit smoking entirely, but rather it is sold as a better smoking alternative for those who want to continue smoking but are looking for a way to consume nicotine without the harmful chemicals from cigarettes.
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