Tobacco sticks are a distinct consumable designed exclusively for use within specialized electronic heating devices, classifying them as heated tobacco products. These units are engineered to interact with the device’s technology, preventing them from being lit like a conventional cigarette. The stick provides real tobacco that is heated to generate an inhalable output, differentiating them entirely from products that rely on burning.
Physical Structure and Composition
Tobacco sticks, often marketed under proprietary names like HEETS or TEREA, are noticeably shorter and thinner than traditional cigarettes. Their internal structure is layered to facilitate the heating process and manage the resulting aerosol. The main component is processed tobacco material, often ground leaf reconstituted into thin sheets or plugs. This tobacco is frequently blended with humectants, such as glycerin or propylene glycol, to aid in aerosol generation when heated.
Each stick contains several non-tobacco segments essential to the user experience. A specialized filter segment, often made from polylactic acid (PLA), is designed to cool the tobacco-derived aerosol before it reaches the mouth. This construction, encased in a paper wrapper, allows the stick to function only when inserted into its corresponding electronic device.
How Heated Tobacco Devices Operate
The consumption process begins when the tobacco stick is inserted into a dedicated electronic heating device, such as the IQOS or Glo system. These battery-powered devices employ an internal heating element, like a ceramic blade or induction coil, to engage directly with the tobacco. The device precisely controls the temperature to ensure the tobacco is heated but never ignited.
The temperature is raised to a specific level, typically around 350 degrees Celsius, sufficient to release nicotine and flavor. This controlled heating differs drastically from a traditional cigarette, which combusts tobacco at 800 to 900 degrees Celsius. The heat causes the humectants and tobacco solids to volatilize, producing a nicotine-containing aerosol that is inhaled by the user.
This process is referred to as “heat-not-burn” technology because it avoids combustion. The resulting output is an aerosol or vapor, contrasting with the smoke produced by burning tobacco. Since the device is battery-powered and thermostatically controlled, each use of the stick is limited to a predetermined number of puffs or a fixed duration.
Key Differences from Traditional Cigarettes
The most significant distinction between a tobacco stick and a conventional cigarette is the absence of combustion. Traditional cigarettes burn tobacco, generating smoke that contains thousands of chemicals. By contrast, the heated tobacco stick simply vaporizes the material at a lower temperature.
A consequence of this non-combustion mechanism is the elimination of ash and the reduction of the lingering odor associated with burning tobacco. The absence of smoke means the aerosol contains substantially lower levels of harmful constituents compared to conventional cigarette smoke. For example, carbon monoxide (CO) levels in the heated aerosol are significantly lower.
The output from the tobacco stick is fundamentally different in composition from cigarette smoke, lacking the solid carbon-based particles that form during combustion. This physical and chemical difference is the primary basis for marketing heated tobacco products as alternatives to continued smoking.