Reports

      [Commentary] On Heated Tobacco Products and the Importance of Science-Based Assessments and Product Classification

      Wade, C.; Nordlund, M.; Baker, G.

      Published on
      Mar 14, 2024
      DOI
      10.32388/0MZ6T2
      Link to publication
      Topic
      Summary

      Proper assessment of heated tobacco products (HTPs), which are alternatives to cigarettes that heat rather than burn tobacco, is necessary to gain a full understanding of both the potential risks and benefits of these newer products. This includes understanding differences in HTP aerosol compared to cigarette smoke. Recent publications have attempted to characterize HTP emissions in order to provide guidance on relative risk and classification. However, improper representation of studies and misinterpretation of how products are designed and used has led to confusion about the relative risk of HTPs compared to cigarettes. This commentary provides clarification on these important issues with a focus on classification of emissions from the device.

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      Reduced Risk Products ("RRPs”) is the term we use to refer to products that present, are likely to present, or have the potential to present less risk of harm to smokers who switch to these products versus continuing smoking. PMI has a range of RRPs in various stages of development, scientific assessment and commercialization. All of our RRPs are smoke-free products that deliver nicotine with far lower quantities of harmful and potentially harmful constituents than found in cigarette smoke.