DURBAN - Philip Morris’ most advanced version of its innovative, smoke-free product, IQOS has been made available across South Africa today.
The new IQOS 3 and IQOS 3 MULTI have improved design, functionality offering adult smokers a better alternative to cigarettes and vaping.
IQOS is a technologically advanced heat-not-burn alternative to cigarettes and offers a cleaner way of enjoying real tobacco with no smoke, no ash and less smell.
It also generates on average 90% lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.
Marcelo Nico, Managing Director, Philip Morris South Africa said, "PMI is a pioneer in innovative heated tobacco products. These products have the potential to be less harmful to smokers who switch completely and abandon cigarette smoking".
Based on PMI’s scientific evidence so far, switching completely to IQOS is a better choice for smokers, as it is likely to present less risk to their health than continuing to smoke cigarettes.
According to Nico, the launch of the new IQOS 3 and IQOS 3 MULTI is another step in PMI’s ambition to encourage all those adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking to switch to better alternatives.
Philip Morris sees smoke-free products as an opportunity for harm reduction and are open to discussions with the public health community globally and in South Africa.”
Thousands of adult smokers per day globally make the change and switch from cigarettes to IQOS. Almost 6 million adult smokers have already chose IQOS and quit cigarettes,” he adds.
Nico said, "In South Africa the conversion to the product has been very encouraging with 85% of legal age smokers who switch to IQOS, continuing to use it".
The update of the product comes after two years of global development resulting in improved design and functionality, leading to a more sophisticated device that is easier to use and to clean, with longer battery life while offering the most refined and enjoyable tobacco experience.
Both products are available at any of the 7 owned IQOS retail outlets from today.