It is reported that the Korean Food and Drug Safety Department released a study to analyze the health risks of heating incombustible vapes like IQOS in early June, claiming that such equipment is not safer than traditional cigarettes.
With the Korean market launching a number of heated incombustible devices in 2017, the Korea Food and Drug Safety Department announced the safety analysis of such products. The main purpose of the study was to test the standards for nicotine and tar to test whether it’s true that such products reduce about 90% of hazardous substances compared to flammable cigarettes as claimed by the manufacturers of heated incombustible equipment.
The Korea Food and Drug Safety Department conducted research on three heating incombustible equipment from Philip Morris Korea’s IQOS, BAT’s Glo and KT&G’s lil，and announced that these products are as harmful as traditional tobacco products.
According to industry analysts, this is foreshadowed in the Korean government’s decision to list non-combustion products as tobacco products and impose tobacco taxes for the next step.
Tobacco companies have expressed that the research is biased
Both British American Tobacco and Philip Morris South Korea have pointed out that the study was inaccurate and cited their own research showing that such products are much safer than ordinary cigarettes.
The Ministry of Safety countered that the study adopted an internationally recognized testing system, namely the testing system for traditional cigarettes by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Health Canada (HC).
The researcher Jin Dahuan said, “The methods we used are recognized not only in South Korea but also in other countries including Germany, China and Japan. Tobacco companies say their methods are correct but it is absurd. Furthermore, Moreover, no other entities approve Philip Morris’ test method.”
Third-party research institutes say heating incombustible products is indeed safer than cigarettes
However, the Food Safety and Environment Independent Committee (COT) recently evaluated two “heated but unburned” products, which are consistent with the tobacco company’s argument and found that their risk is lower than ordinary cigarettes.
COT evaluated PMI’s IQOS and British American Tobacco’s iFuse. The evidence collected by the committee shows that although this type of product may also be at risk. COT says that the risk is much lower than traditional cigarettes, although it is impossible to quantify the exact level.
Prof. Alan Boobis, chairman of the COT, said: “There is evidence that heating unburnt products still pose a risk to users. However, cigarette smokers are relatively safer to switch to heating non-burning products, but smoking cessation is the best option.
Editor comments: Not only the heating of non-combustion products, but also the controversy over the use of vape over traditional cigarettes hasn’t stopped. The official vocalization of this time is different from that of the Italian audience, but in fact, the sales impact of heating unburned products in South Korea has already appeared. If the e-cigarette wants to gain recognition in the Korean market, it also needs more favorable academic achievements and the influence of the “stones from other hills” in the mainstream countries of Europe and America.
Note: The graphic content is originated from E-cigarette online for reference only.
