**SMOKING IS DEFINITELY HARMFUL.** That includes heated tobacco and e-cigarettes.
Heated tobacco is marketed as a cleaner way to use tobacco. No ash, less smell, no smoke. Many people assume that makes it almost harmless. It does not. Here is a simple look at what it is, what it does to your body, and why the best choice is to stay away.
What Is Heated Tobacco?
A heated tobacco device warms a small tobacco stick to around 350°C instead of burning it. A regular cigarette burns at 600 to 900°C. The result is a nicotine-filled aerosol instead of smoke. The best-known brand is IQOS, made by tobacco company Philip Morris.
Online shops such as IQOS Türkiye sell these devices and sticks on the internet. But being easy to buy does not make a product healthy. For your body, it is still tobacco.
What Is an E-Cigarette?
An e-cigarette heats a liquid, not tobacco. Most of these liquids contain nicotine plus flavourings. People often lump the two together, and the health message for both is the same: neither is safe.
The Health Risks
| Claim | Reality |
|---|---|
| “No smoke, no danger” | The aerosol still contains toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and acrolein |
| “Less nicotine” | Each stick delivers nicotine close to a regular cigarette |
| “Officially safer” | The US FDA has not approved claims that these products lower the risk of disease |
What this means for you:
- Addiction: Nicotine is highly addictive. Heated tobacco and e-cigarettes keep the habit alive instead of ending it.
- Heart and blood vessels: Nicotine raises heart rate and blood pressure and strains your blood vessels.
- Lungs: Heated aerosol still carries chemicals and particles deep into your lungs. The long-term effects after 20 or 30 years are simply unknown.
- Dual use: Many people end up using both cigarettes and heated tobacco, not one instead of the other.
The World Health Organization is clear that all forms of tobacco are harmful and that there is no safe level of use. It also warns about the risks of e-cigarettes.
Stay Away
If you do not smoke, there is no reason to start with heated tobacco or e-cigarettes. If you do, the best thing for your health is to quit completely, not to switch to another nicotine product. Your doctor, your pharmacist and national quit lines can help, and nicotine patches or gum are far better tested.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is heated tobacco less harmful than cigarettes?
There is no proof that it lowers the risk of disease. You still inhale nicotine and toxic chemicals.
Can heated tobacco help me quit smoking?
No. It is not a quit-smoking aid. Proven methods include nicotine replacement therapy and support from a doctor.
**SMOKING IS DEFINITELY HARMFUL.** Say no to cigarettes, heated tobacco and e-cigarettes.