It looks like a vape, it’s made of real tobacco like a cigarette, and it’s neither. Here’s what “heat-not-burn” actually is — and where it sits on risk.
Quick answer: Heated tobacco — also called “heat-not-burn” (HNB) — heats real tobacco to below ~350°C instead of burning it (a cigarette burns at 600–900°C). Because it doesn’t combust, it produces a nicotine-containing aerosol rather than smoke, with far fewer combustion toxicants than a cigarette — but it is still a tobacco product that delivers nicotine, so it’s not safe and isn’t for non-smokers. It sits between cigarettes and vaping: unlike vaping (which heats a tobacco-free e-liquid), HNB heats actual tobacco leaf. The category is dominated by IQOS (Philip Morris), with glo (BAT), lil (KT&G) and Ploom (JTI) behind it.
This is general information, not medical advice. Not for non-smokers or anyone under 21.
How heat-not-burn works
A cigarette burns; an HNB device toasts. You insert a small tobacco stick (IQOS calls them TEREA/HEETS) into a holder that heats it to a few hundred degrees — hot enough to release nicotine and flavour as an aerosol, but below the temperature where tobacco combusts and creates tar and the worst smoke toxicants. Each stick lasts about 6 minutes or 14 puffs, similar to a cigarette’s duration. There’s no ash and no lingering smoke, though it still has a tobacco smell.
The heating technology is the main technical battleground:
- IQOS ILUMA — induction heating (SMARTCORE): the newest IQOS heats a metal element inside the sealed tobacco stick using electromagnetic induction — there’s no heating blade, and because the stick is sealed at both ends, there’s no residue and nothing to clean.
- glo Hilo — dual heating (TurboStart Quartz): BAT’s 2025 flagship combines resistive and infrared heating for a ~5-second preheat.
- lil / Ploom — resistive heating: KT&G and JTI use heated-blade/chamber designs, strong in Japan and Korea.
How it’s different from vaping and smoking
This is the part most people get wrong:
| Cigarette | Heated tobacco (HNB) | Vape | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contains tobacco leaf | Yes | Yes | No (tobacco-free e-liquid) |
| Burns / combusts | Yes (600–900°C) | No (heats to <350°C) | No |
| Produces | Smoke (tar, CO) | Nicotine aerosol from tobacco | Nicotine aerosol from e-liquid |
| Nicotine | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ash / smell | Yes / strong | None / tobacco smell | None / flavour scent |
The headline: HNB is real tobacco heated; vaping is tobacco-free liquid heated. Both avoid combustion and both deliver nicotine, but they’re chemically different products with different risk questions. We break that down in heated tobacco vs vaping.
Is heated tobacco safe?
No — “fewer toxicants than a cigarette” is not “safe.” HNB avoids combustion, so it exposes users to lower levels of many harmful chemicals than smoking. The US FDA even authorised IQOS to be sold with reduced-exposure information — but it explicitly did not authorise “reduced-risk-of-disease” claims, and the WHO says there’s no conclusive evidence that HNB is less harmful overall. It’s still tobacco, still nicotine (addictive, raises heart rate and blood pressure), and the long-term data is immature. We weigh it against cigarettes in is IQOS safer than smoking?
Who makes it, and where it’s big
IQOS holds roughly three-quarters of the global HNB market, with about 38 million users. The category is enormous in Japan, where heated tobacco makes up nearly half of all tobacco sold — IQOS ~69%, glo ~20%, Ploom ~10%, lil ~6%. It’s growing across Europe and Asia, and IQOS is moving back into the US pending FDA review.
FAQ
What is heated tobacco?
A product that heats real tobacco to below ~350°C instead of burning it, releasing a nicotine aerosol with fewer combustion toxicants than a cigarette. It’s still a tobacco product. IQOS is the leading brand.
Is heated tobacco the same as vaping?
No. Heated tobacco heats actual tobacco leaf; vaping heats a tobacco-free e-liquid. Both avoid combustion and deliver nicotine, but they’re different products.
Is IQOS a vape?
No. IQOS heats a real tobacco stick (HNB), whereas a vape heats e-liquid. IQOS is heated tobacco, not a vape.
Is heated tobacco safe?
No — it’s lower in many toxicants than smoking, but it’s still tobacco and still delivers addictive nicotine. The FDA allowed reduced-exposure claims, not reduced-risk claims, and long-term data is limited.
General information, not medical advice. To stop smoking, speak to a healthcare professional or your local stop-smoking service.