In recent years, a range of new nicotine or tobacco innovations have emerged, including electronic nicotine delivery systems, commonly referred to as e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products, such as Nuso heated tobacco.
Heated tobacco quickly won a place in the smoking alternatives since its launch. It is easy to use — simply insert the heatsticks into the electronic device. Meanwhile, heated tobacco offers an authentic experience with a real tobacco taste. Since the removal of the burning process, there has been less uncomfortable smell or tar in the process of heated tobacco consumption, which epitomizes the concept of tobacco harm reduction (THR).
Facts about THR
1. Definition of THR
Tobacco harm reduction is defined as “minimizing harm and reducing overall mortality and morbidity without fully eliminating tobacco and nicotine use” [1].
Although complete elimination of exposure to nicotine would result in the greatest reduction in harm, THR recognizes that the preferred goal of abstinence is not always achievable as smokers are not always willing or able to quit. Helping people switch to less harmful alternatives could be a more effective approach. Therefore, as its primary goal, THR advocates that users switch to less harmful forms of nicotine.
2. Importance of THR
Harm reduction is considered a human rights issue, and all smokers, regardless of whether they wish or are able to quit tobacco use, have access to the means to reduce tobacco-related harms[2].
Tobacco harm reduction is also considered a social justice issue because it has the potential to benefit those smokers who experience the greatest disparities in health.
3. Evolution of THR products
Many innovations began the journey to today’s less harmful nicotine products. A few individuals, motivated to quit smoking, pursued a range of innovations that led to the development of modern tobacco products.
lLow tar/nicotine content cigarettes
Smoking was first linked to disease in 1964 with the SGR. Early animal studies[3] and epidemiology concluded that if the tar in cigarettes were reduced, then the health risks would also be reduced. In addition, health-conscious smokers were encouraged to switch to low-tar cigarettes.
lLow-yield cigarettes
As science has developed, it has been found that lower-yield cigarettes do not lead to a significant reduction in nicotine and toxic exposure levels due to their ‘elasticity’ compared to higher-yield cigarettes. The reduction in machine-determined yields is achieved through cigarette design features. For example, filter venting, with additional ventilation holes in the filter to dilute the smoke, is the primary method of reducing machine-determined yields.
lHeated tobacco
In the 1990s, tobacco companies began to produce products aimed at health-conscious smokers. These included ‘premium flavor’ cigarettes with ‘reduced carcinogens’ but higher nicotine content and cigarettes with reduced nicotine content, as well as similar cigarette products – heated tobacco.
How do heated tobacco products contribute to the THR
When scientifically substantiated and regulated, heated tobacco is one of the leading smoke-free innovations that enable adult smokers who would continue smoking to make a better choice. Nuso is extremely mindful of complying 100% with any laws and regulations of the regions where we export.
Heated tobacco contributes to THR from the following two aspects.
- Removal of the burning process
A heated tobacco device heats real tobacco in a specific temperature range, using an electronic heat control system to prevent the tobacco from burning.
Cigarette smoke contains flavors from the tobacco mixture and the nicotine that is naturally present in the tobacco leaf. It is these elements of the smoke that consumers enjoy when they smoke. However, the combustion process that releases tobacco flavor and nicotine also produces more than 7,000 chemicals, about 250 of which have been identified by major public health agencies as the cause or potential cause of smoking-related diseases[4].
Unlike cigarettes, Nuso heated tobacco products eliminate the burning process and create an aerosol that contains nicotine and much lower harmful chemicals than cigarette smoke.
- Lower level of harmful chemicals
Avoiding combustion means that heated tobacco products significantly reduce the user’s exposure to conventional cigarettes’ harmful and potentially harmful chemicals. The most danger of cigarettes doesn’t come from nicotine, as is commonly believed, but from the smoke produced when the tobacco is set alight. In addition, Nuso HTPs offer smokers a less harmful alternative to getting the nicotine or experience they expect from smoking while greatly reducing their risk.
Despite not being risk-free, Nuso heated tobacco products have the potential to contribute to health outcomes for adult smokers who switch to them completely since they can significantly reduce exposure to the toxicants in cigarette smoke that are known to cause smoking-related diseases.
THR: the right side of history
Until the early 21st century, most smokers had little choice. But now there are new options that were not available before. Tobacco Harm Reduction enables adult smokers to switch to risk-reduced nicotine products.
At Nuso, we look forward to smoke-free future and consistently provide affordable and accessible HTP that contributes a bit to THR.