Smokeless tobacco item not that harmless

Amy Wiggins

A new smokeless tobacco product marketed as being less harmful than cigarettes may not be as harm-free as claimed, according to a new study.

The study, published in the Tobacco Control journal, found Philip Morris’ iQOS could cause smokers to inhale more often and expose them to another toxic chemical.

The iQOS is a batteryoperated electronic device which heats tobacco sticks, rather than burning them, to produce a tobacco-infused vapour which can be inhaled.

The product is also the focus of a legal dispute between Philip Morris and the Ministry of Health which says it is not legal in New Zealand because it is a tobacco product for oral use rather than smoking, since it is not ignited.

The University of California study found that, since the device could be used for only six minutes before it needed recharging, it may cause some people to shorten the interval between puffs so they did not waste any of the tobacco stick, which could increase the possible toxic exposure.

But of greater concern was that the polymer filter melted slightly during use and released formaldehyde cyanohydrin, a toxic substance that could be fatal to humans. The compound is metabolised in the liver and broken down into formaldehyde and cyanide.

“This study has shown that the iQOS system may not be University of California study as harm-free as claimed and also emphasises the urgent need for further safety testing as the popularity and user base of this product is growing rapidly,” the study concluded.

University of Otago public health and marketing Professor Janet Hoek said the findings led her to question whether it really was a “reduced harm” product as claimed by the manufacturers.

If users inhaled more often as it was suggested, it was likely they would “increase their nicotine intake and ex- posure to harmful compounds present in the inhaled aerosol”.

She said those who had tried unsuccessfully to quit smoking were better off considering e-cigarettes.

The Auckland University National Institute for Health Innovation programme leader, Associate Professor Natalie Walker, agreed e-cigarettes were a better option for those trying to quit because they did not contain tobacco.

But if smokers had tried repeatedly to quit, even using e-cigarettes, it could be a last resort. “Heat-not-burn devices are not without harm.

“However, they are less harmful than smoking cigarettes [which have more than 4000 harmful chemicals in the smoke],” Walker said.