Not necessarily healthy, but at least ‘healthier’ they should be, the tobacco heaters called IQOS from the cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris International (PMI). This is because their technology releases fewer harmful substances. Because the tobacco in your device is not burned like cigarettes, but only “heated”. This writes PMI on its website.
The Blue Cross Bern-Solothurn-Freiburg wanted to know more about it and commissioned two accredited laboratories to conduct a study on the latest IQOS model “Iluma One” with sticks of the “Terea Amelia Pearl” flavour. The Blue Cross published the report with the results today.
The lab report shows that the smoke from the IQOS Iluma One contains more than 40 substances, some of which are toxic. For example, isopulegol or n-butyl ether, which can cause respiratory tract irritation even with a single inhalation. This result does not surprise the Blue Cross. In the past it has already established which substances are also present in conventional cigarettes.
But the commissioned researchers discovered another substance. One they’ve never detected in IQOS Iluma smoke before and doesn’t indicate the PMI: acetylfuran.
Acetylfuran is used as a flavoring agent in the food industry. The few studies that exist on this chemical assume that acetylfuran is safe in food in small amounts. However, the effects of acetylfuran on the respiratory system are still largely unexplored.
U.S. laboratory equipment supplier Thermo Fisher Scientific has published an updated safety data sheet for acetylfuran on March 8, 2022. Under the Hazard Identification section, Thermo Fisher Scientific writes: Toxic in contact with skin; Causes serious eye irritation; Danger to life if swallowed or inhaled.”
It is unclear at what concentration these effects occur on the body and how many micrograms of inhaled acetylfuran can be fatal. And this despite the fact that the substance is also found in conventional cigarettes.
Markus Wildermut is Head of Information at the Blue Cross Bern-Solothurn-Freiburg. He commissioned the study, saying: “Not only is it shocking that Philip Morris is using acetylfuran despite a lack of research into its potential harmfulness, but also that the company is not disclosing the substance to customers.”
Acetylfuran, however, does not appear in the ingredients list of all products the company sells in Switzerland. PMI prepares this list for the attention of the Swiss authorities. It must be complete. However, it is not clear which substance PMI incorporates into which product and how high the concentration is per case.
We have sent the Blue Cross lab report to PMI and asked for their comments. In it, the tobacco company criticizes the “limitations in the methodological evaluation” of the report. “When drawing conclusions from scientific data, it is important to consider the comparative data to ensure that the results are presented in context,” writes PMI.
The IQOS is intended for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke. Therefore, when it comes to PMI, the IQOS aerosols should always be compared to cigarette smoke. An analysis of IQOS’ harmful ingredients without this comparison – as the Blue Cross did – could confuse consumers and hinder efforts to reduce the harm to smokers.
PMI states, “Both PMIs and independent evaluations of the IQOS aerosol have consistently shown that the product releases an average of 90 to 95 percent fewer harmful and potentially harmful components compared to cigarettes.” In addition, PMI criticizes that the Blue Cross study does not provide clear confirmation of the chemical identities, which could lead to the reported chemicals being misidentified.
Referring to the more than 40 substances identified by the Blue Cross in its report, PMI writes: “The majority of the chemicals listed by the Blue Cross were identified in much smaller numbers in PMI’s peer-reviewed study. Quantities determined and proven as in cigarette smoke or below the toxicologically critical limit.” However, this also means that some substances in IQOS can be found in higher concentrations than in cigarettes. PMI does not provide information on what these are.
The Blue Cross suspects that acetylfuran is one of these substances, which is processed in higher concentrations in the IQOS Iluma and is therefore also inhaled than with cigarettes. This is because the substance can give the tobacco sticks its aroma. “Unfortunately, we cannot prove this claim,” says Wildermut. Further investigation would have to take place.
What is clear is that PMI is aware of the substance acetylfuran. As part of a comprehensive chemical characterization of the IQOS aerosol, which PMI submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2019, traces of acetylfuran were detected, according to PMI. However, this is in smaller quantities than in the smoke of combustible cigarettes.
The FDA concluded: “While some substances are genotoxic or cytotoxic, these substances are present in trace amounts and the potential impact is mitigated by the significant reduction in the number and amount of harmful and potentially harmful components relative to those contained in combustible cigarettes. being weighed. .”
Markus Wildermut of the Blue Cross is not convinced by this answer. Because the FDA analysis that PMI cites is out of date. Her lab examined the latest IQOS Iluma model. It has a click system that has only been used by IQOS Iluma since 2021. With this system you have to squeeze the tobacco sticks at a certain point to release the flavors from the stick. “For transparency reasons, we would have liked PMI to publish the latest analysis results for their new IQOS Iluma,” says Wildermut.
When asked whether PMI had investigated the effects of acetylfuran on the airways and could present results, PMI did not answer, despite repeated questions. Instead, it points to “extensive studies” showing that IQOS is a better alternative for adult smokers than continuing to smoke cigarettes.
What does all this discussion mean for consumers? Do IQOS Iluma smokers simply expose themselves to a different but just as high health risk as if they smoked regular cigarettes? Or even a bigger one?
“Unfortunately, research has not yet provided a conclusive answer to this, because we simply do not know what long-term effects acetylfuran and other – yet undiscovered – substances have on the body when they are inhaled. Let alone if you inhale them regularly,” says Wildermut.
With his report, he wants to point out that more independent research is needed into the substances that tobacco companies use in their cigarette alternatives. But also that the ingredients in tobacco products should be regulated more strictly. Manufacturers can currently incorporate any substance into their food-approved products. And this despite the fact that they have often not been scientifically investigated for their effect when inhaled.
source: watson
I’m Maxine Reitz, a journalist and news writer at 24 Instant News. I specialize in health-related topics and have written hundreds of articles on the subject. My work has been featured in leading publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Healthline. As an experienced professional in the industry, I have consistently demonstrated an ability to develop compelling stories that engage readers.
