Why use heet sticks?

Inhaling the fumes from heated tobacco products, also known as HTPs, results in an emission that the user then breathes in. In addition to nicotine, other chemicals may also be emitted. Known as "products with perhaps lowered exposure" or even "tobacco products with modified risk," HTPs are a re-emerging category of tobacco products. There isn't enough evidence to say that HTPs are less harmful than regular cigarettes right now. Because of this, there are questions about the quantity of toxicants that users are exposed to, even if conventional cigarettes may expose consumers to lower quantities of some toxicants. Uncertainty surrounds the short- and long-term health effects of this toxicological profile. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) have been included in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Heet sticks are thus regarded as subject to the provisions of the WHO FCTC by the Conference of the Parties.

Methods

Using the 2019 Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey, researchers compiled their findings. There were 42,477 people that took part in the event. Those files were finally cleaned up in 2020. With descriptive data, such as the percentage of people who know about and have used heated tobacco products, estimates may be produced. Age, gender, and whether or not respondents smoked cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, or other tobacco products, as well as whether or not they had ever used heated tobacco products, were all taken into account when determining awareness of and frequency of use of heated tobacco products. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the individual characteristics that are connected to knowledge and ever usage of heated tobacco products.

Results

On average, 8.6 percent of Americans were aware of heated tobacco products. Tobacco products were more familiar to participants who were younger men who smoked cigarettes, used electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes), or used other tobacco products. Adults in the United States used heated tobacco products at a low rate (0.51%), while electronic cigarette and cigarette smokers were more likely to do so.

Conclusions

However, the recent regulatory approval of the marketing of IQOS as reduced risk tobacco products may lead to a rise in the use of these items even though most Americans have never used heated tobacco products. As a consequence, ongoing research into the usage of heated tobacco products and the long-term health repercussions of such use is critical for influencing future decision making.