IQOS Science and Heat-not-Burn Technology

Close up of a chef's hands opening a jade green IQOS ILUMA device.

The science and vision behind IQOS.

IQOS is the combination between science, technology and vision.

Science behind heated tobacco

We believe in science. We believe it can change the lives of millions of smokers, who would otherwise continue to smoke. To this effect, we recruited scientists to work on an important idea: developing less harmful products that cigarette smokers can switch to if they don’t quit. Hundreds of scientists and engineers at PMI’s global Research and Development centres in Switzerland and Singapore have developed and evaluated IQOS, an innovative electronic device that heats and not burns tobacco. It produces a tobacco vapour that delivers tobacco taste and nicotine.

Tested to the highest standards.

IQOS has gone through robust scientific assessments, including, to date, numeral non-clinical and clinical studies.

Illustration of IQOS ILUMA SMARTCORE INDUCTION™ technology working inside an IQOS holder

Why heating is better.

Technology – the world revolves around it. Over the years, it has radically changed our lives for the better. The way we work, the way we communicate, the way we travel. By combining science and technology is how we developed a better alternative to continued smoking. IQOS is changing for the better the way adult smokers, who would otherwise continue to smoke, can experience heated tobacco.

IQOS ILUMA SMARTCORE INDUCTION™ technology and IQOS HeatControl™ technology prevent tobacco from burning, which means you can have the tobacco satisfaction with no tar*, ash, cigarrete smoke and lingering smell.

Illustration of IQOS HeatControl™ technology

Heating technology.

Cigarettes burn tobacco, reaching high temperatures, and producing ash, tar, and smoke with high number and levels of harmful chemicals. Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of over 6000 chemical substances, around 100 of which have been linked to smoking-related diseases by public health authorities.

IQOS ILUMA SMARTCORE INDUCTION SYSTEM™ technology and IQOS HeatControl™ technology heat tobacco to a lower temperature, ensuring that combustion does not occur. Because there is no combustion, IQOS does not produce tar*, ash and smoke. It generates a tobacco vapor that brings you a high-quality tobacco taste experience.

Cigarettes produce tar, IQOS doesn't.

“Tar” is the residue from smoke after a cigarette has burned. IQOS does not produce tar because it heats tobacco instead of burning it.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Although IQOS does not produce tar, IQOS is not risk free, and delivers nicotine which is addictive.

Science machine.

Did you know we’ve created a machine to show the significant differences between smoke produced by burning tobacco in a cigarette compared with the tobacco vapour generated when tobacco is heated in IQOS? Watch the science machine video to see more.

Switching to IQOS.

Our studies show that the satisfaction of those who switched completely to IQOS is comparable to that of those who continued to smoke cigarettes.* Discover more about our scientific assessment journey.

Discover the studies

IQOS is not risk-free and delivers nicotine, which is addictive. The best decision any smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether.

* 3-month clinical study conducted in US and Japan with 160 adult smokers each, under near real-world conditions.