Nicotine wars – choice is king
Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 10:14 Interested to read that BAT is to test a 'hybrid product that combines tobacco and e-cigarette technology'.
Philip Morris, of course, has its own tobacco-based vapour product (the Marlboro Heatstick) while JTI has Ploom, a tobacco vapour pod device.
Given that Forest stands for Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco, any device that involves tobacco has to be of interest.
It's encouraging too to know that tobacco companies are focussed on developing harm reduction products designed to appeal to smokers who want options other than a non-tobacco vaporiser.
Some people seem to think these devices are a threat to e-cigarettes. Maybe they are, maybe they'e not, but it will be fascinating to see how this plays out over the next decade. Personally I think there's room for these and other devices (some still to be invented).
Truth is, e-cigs are not universally popular with smokers. If they were millions more would have switched. The fact that they haven't suggests there must be a gap in the market for other nicotine devices.
That said, if they're not over-regulated, e-cigarettes have a big advantage because they have an established and growing consumer base.
In contrast tobacco vaporisers have a lot of catching up to do and it's possible they will never be anything more than a niche product with a devoted but small following.
The important thing is to offer consumers a wide range of products and allow them to make an informed choice.
In other words, let the market – not politicians – decide.
Reader Comments (9)
I think there is a place for all tobacco products and vapes on the market. This is not a war between vaping and smoking it is a war between the consumers right to chose and the government trying to over regulate.
Interesting. I hadn't heard about Marlboro's Heatstick before this, so decided to investigate further. Needless to say, it's been fairly widely reported on all the vape-lovers' sites, with no small degree of concern being expressed. "Just as bad as cigarettes because they contain tobacco," "must have all the harmful chemicals that we [emphasis mine] have been trying to get away from," and, of course - the real concern, if they were honest - that people would "prefer these things to e-cigs and buy them instead." They certainly don't want people leaving their cosy little Smug Club, do they?
No credence, of course, is given to the fact that there is no burning, and so no tar, and so much reduced health risk (unburned tobacco, of course, being as harmless as the unlit ones in a new packet) and no recognition that some smokers might simply prefer the things to sickly-sweet, unsatisfying, silly-looking vapourisers. The typical kind of knee-jerk reaction, in fact, which we all saw on many an anti-smoking site in response to the advent of e-cigarettes themselves.
Vapers? Anti-smokers? Straight out of the same mould.
As I've mentioned on this blog before - I'm now a total convert to Philip Morris's IQOS system. When the heat not burn technology starts to roll out heavily - the public health groups are going to be thrown into further disarray.
An interesting anecdote - I recently went to see my ear, nose and throat doctor (as I have a small issue with my hearing at times - I've been seeing him about once a year for many years) . He always gives me a check up, and while looking at my throat - he exclaimed 'Mark, have you finally given up smoking?'. I said, no - and showed him the IQOS. He was fascinated and said there's no evidence in my throat of being a smoker. Normally smokers' throats are slightly inflamed. As mine was before.
My wife has also noted I've stopped coughing in the morning.
Also I was having a beer with a friend of mine working for one of the international health organisations in Geneva (not the WHO) and we were discussing the growth of smoking alternatives and how governments and regulators are likely to react. With great confusion was our conclusion - he also added 'the public health lobby are easily outsmarted' - and he works with them everyday.
"In other words, let the market – not politicians – decide."
Good idea.
Forest has proven once again that it is consistent in its views and ideas:-)
I like my pipe.
@Mark - do your prefer PM IQOS to vapourisers? How does it compare to them and to real cigarettes? I've tried vaping and, apart from the fact that it doesn't feel like a cigarette there's the issue that you never get to the end of a 'smoke' which PM's device addresses.
Would much appreciate some more info.
@jay101 I much prefer the iQOS to vaporizers. When vaping I also smoked. Now with the iQOS I'm a sole user. I've stopped vaping and smoking. You're right to say the experience has an end. I felt the same with vaping. I'm one of those who think the ecig makers will face some severe competition. Especially if the heat not burn technology is permitted indoors.
Thanks for that, Mark
I agree, especially with the conclusion.
I think many more smokers might have switched by now, if they had competent information and simply tried it. Sure, it's not THE ultimate experience for everyone. Some people prefer wine, some beer, some like both. Their choice.
I tried a few puff of one of those IQOS. I prefer "full" vaping. But good luck to them. If enough people prefer it, they'll get their piece of the smoking cake. I'll stay with the vaping slice. Unless something better (for me) turns up.
When I first heard about ecigs, they were always mentioned in connection with "quitting", patches and gums. Yuck. So I didn't even bother to try them. I got curious, when some creepy anti-smoking "expert" zealots swamped the media with ominous warnings about possible unknown dangers of ecigs. Why would those who usually peddle their NRT snake oil warn people off of another cessation gimmick?
The crap they spouted was just too unbelievable. (More details: My Story)
Now there are a lot of smokers and vapers alienated by that constant barrage of junk science propaganda claims. In Spain they even scared 80% of the vapers back to smoking.
When I was a smoker, I had accepted the "experts" opinions on the dangers of smoking and even second hand smoke. I did think, it was rather exaggerated, but couldn't imagine that there would be so much junk science and blatant lies. Only when I discovered how deep the river of bovine excrement on vaping was, did I start to question the scientific foundation of my "common knowledge" about smoking.
And I'm afraid many vapers still haven't taken this step and still can't (or don't bother to) see through this part of the smoke screen that public hell's advocates have been building for decades.