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The Science of Heating Vs Burning Tobacco
Table of contents
The science of heating vs burning tobacco comes down to temperature and chemistry. When tobacco burns, it creates smoke full of chemicals made by combustion. When tobacco is heated without burning, as in IQOS and other heated tobacco products, it releases an aerosol instead. This article explains the difference in simple terms, and what it does and does not mean for health.
What happens when tobacco burns
A lit cigarette burns at a very high temperature, reaching 600°C or more at the tip when you draw on it. Burning breaks down the tobacco and creates smoke. Health authorities say cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals, many of them harmful, including tar, carbon monoxide and substances linked to cancer and heart disease. Burning also produces ash and sidestream smoke that others breathe in.
What happens when tobacco is heated
Heated tobacco products warm specially made tobacco to a lower, controlled temperature. PMI states its blade IQOS devices heat up to about 350°C. At this level, water, glycerin, nicotine and flavour are released as an aerosol, but the tobacco does not catch fire. There are two main heating methods:
- Resistive (blade) heating: a heated blade sits inside the tobacco. Used in older IQOS devices with HEETS.
- Induction heating: a metal strip inside the stick is heated by a magnetic field. Used in IQOS ILUMA devices with TEREA.
Heating vs burning side by side
| Burning (cigarette) | Heating (IQOS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 600°C or more at the tip | Controlled, up to about 350°C (PMI figure for blade devices) |
| What you inhale | Smoke | Aerosol |
| Ash and flame | Yes | No |
| Nicotine | Yes | Yes |
| Harmful chemicals | Many, from combustion | Many measured at lower levels, but still present |
What the science does not show yet
Lower levels of some chemicals in the aerosol do not automatically mean lower risk of disease. Independent studies have found harmful substances in heated tobacco aerosol, and some at higher levels than in smoke. Long-term health effects are still being studied. Heated tobacco also contains nicotine, which is addictive. It is not risk free, and it is not a vape: a vape heats a liquid, while heated tobacco heats real tobacco.
The best choice for your health is to quit tobacco completely. Heated tobacco is for adults 18+ only.
To see how induction works in practice, read about the IQOS ILUMA Prime and the wider IQOS ILUMA range.
FAQ
Is heat-not-burn the same as vaping?
No. Heat-not-burn products heat tobacco. Vapes heat a liquid.
Does heated tobacco produce tar?
Heated tobacco does not burn, so it does not make smoke in the usual sense. Its aerosol still contains particles, nicotine and other chemicals.
