Smoke-free alternatives

It's no secret that quitting tobacco and nicotine altogether is the best choice a smoker can make. But the reality is that many don’t.

For those individuals, smoke-free products like heated tobacco, e-cigarettes, and oral smokeless products have the potential to cause less harm than continuing to smoke cigarettes. This is because, as the name suggests, they don’t produce smoke, so can significantly reduce the average levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes. Importantly, they are not risk-free and are addictive.

WHAT PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE?

There are lots of product types in the smoke-free category, such as heated tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and oral smokeless products.

Heated tobacco

Heated tobacco products use real tobacco, which naturally contains nicotine. They heat the tobacco, rather than burning it, which is the important difference between these smoke-free products and cigarettes.  

Because they don't burn tobacco, these  products are smoke-free—producing a nicotine-containing aerosol that is fundamentally different from cigarette smoke.

E-cigarettes

E-cigarettes are handheld battery-powered devices that heat an e-liquid to produce an aerosol, commonly referred to as vapor—hence the term “vaping.” These products generally don’t contain tobacco and importantly they don’t create smoke.

Not all e-liquids contain nicotine, but the vast majority do. If the e-liquid contains nicotine, so will the vapor.

Nicotine pouches

Nicotine pouches are oral smokeless products which don't need an electronic device to be used. They don’t contain tobacco and ingredients primarily include nicotine and flavors, wrapped in a cellulose pouch, which is placed between the gum and the cheek or upper lip. The nicotine is then absorbed through the oral mucosa.

Snus pouches

Snus is an oral smokeless product and doesn't need an electronic device to be used. It contains tobacco and delivers nicotine orally. Similar to nicotine pouches, the product comes wrapped in a cellulose pouch which can be place between the gum and the cheek or upper lip. The nicotine is absorbed through the oral mucosa.

None of these smoke-free products are risk-free, and they provide nicotine, which is addictive. However, they are a better alternative for adults than continued smoking. The best choice for health is always to quit tobacco and nicotine altogether.

HOW DO SMOKE-FREE PRODUCTS WORK?

Smoke-free products deliver nicotine without burning. Nicotine is addictive and one of many reasons why people smoke, but it’s by no means the most harmful thing about smoking.

The most dangerous thing about smoking is the smoke itself. It contains many harmful chemicals that are known to be the main cause of smoking-related diseases, such as lung cancer.

For this very reason, products that provide nicotine without smoke, whilst not risk-free and addictive, are a far better choice for adults than continued smoking. Smoke-free products can play a vital role in securing a smoke-free future, helping adults all over the world make informed decisions for their health.

Smoke-free products are a much better choice than continued smoking because they have the potential to reduce the harmful byproducts of burning found in cigarette smoke. By cutting out smoke, smoke-free products produce considerably lower levels of harmful chemicals than cigarettes.

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Numerous countries that have championed the use of less harmful alternatives are seeing noticeable reductions in smoking rates compared to countries where these products are not available.