STEPPING into an IQOS store in Nagoya, Japan there is already a hive of activity. Situated in the shopping district of the city, customers are busy perusing the store. With attentive customer service personnel attending to their needs and displays and shelves lined with the latest patented all-in-one tobacco heating devices, the atmosphere more resembles a smartphone experience boutique.
Blurring the lines of tech and tobacco, the innovative tobacco heating system (THS), commercialised as IQOS by Philip Morris International (PMI), has been a primary force in the flow of change for the industry, especially in Japan. THS, which utilises a revolutionary technology that heats tobacco without burning it, has been a huge success for PMI and it has also played a significant role in tobacco harm reduction and public health.
