What is the Difference Between Heated Tobacco Cigarettes and Vapes?

Living in 2022 means seeing technology advance by leaps and bounds day in and day out. What was right here yesterday today could be miles away, and those who miss the train stay behind.

The industries and companies that cater to the world of smokers are well aware of this, primarily the manufacturers of electronic cigarettes and tobacco heaters.

But what’s the difference between these two alternatives to traditional smoking?

Let’s go and find out together.

Tobacco heater: what it is, how it works, and what it contains

The tobacco heaters, technically called HTP (Heated Tobacco Product), or HNB (Heated Not Burn) are the answer of the great American Lobby to the growing success of vapes in the world.

These electronic devices produce scents with the taste and smell of traditional cigarettes, which can be inhaled through a special filter generated by heating real tobacco.

The body of the device contains an integrated rechargeable battery. It is equipped with a compartment to insert the disposable sticks that have the shredded, which can be purchased in packs of 20, just like those so familiar to smokers.

Inside this cavity is a metal tab that heats the tobacco to 350 °, a temperature lower than that of combustion (800 °).

This avoids the production of ash but not smoke. Furthermore, it seems that the fumes still contain substances that are harmful to the body.

As we can read in this page, these products, although less invasive than classic cigarettes, “are not without toxic activity or cancer risk.”

But let’s take a closer look at the issue.

Is the cigarette with heated tobacco harmful?

Many HTP manufacturers boast of the absence of smoke in their products. Still, Roberto Boffi, a pulmonologist in charge of Pneumology and the Smoke Center of the National Cancer Institute of Milan, assures us that it is not steam but a “cold smoke. “, slightly different from the hot one of analog blondes.

Inside we always find nicotine, an alkaloid that gives physical and psychological dependence in the consumer, and other harmful substances to the body, including tin, black carbon, and formaldehyde.

Here is what Boffi said on the subject:

“Research conducted first in vitro and more recently in vivo have however demonstrated the ability to inflammation and oxidative stress at the level of bronchial and lung cells to a similar extent to traditional cigarettes, thus showing that these devices may not actually be an option anymore. cigarette smoking. Long-term studies will still be needed to better assess the cancer risks associated with their use. “

In short, the decrease in the risk of harm from smoking may not be honest with the transition from classic cigarettes to tobacco heaters.

Differences between tobacco heaters and electronic cigarettes

Vaping is a device with a rechargeable battery that vaporizes liquid to generate a flavored aerosol.

The vaping blends are made with the following ingredients:

• Propylene glycol
• Vegetable glycerin
• Synthetic or natural flavorings
• Purified water (optional)
• Nicotine (optional and in different dosages)

How do they work?

The liquid in the tank is conveyed using absorbent organic cotton to the coil, a resistance that overheats when the electric current passes, instantly vaporizing the solution.

• Here are the substantial differences between the electronic cigarette and the tobacco heater:
• Use of liquids and not of tobacco;
• Emission of steam and no smoke;
• More minor general harmfulness of the vapors;
• Possibility of initially using nicotine to avoid withdrawal crises and then gradually reducing the doses until complete elimination;
• No unpleasant residual odor on clothes, hands, or lips;
• Personalization of liquids (density, taste, and presence of nicotine);
• Lower costs.

As we can see, electronic cigarettes turn out to be a less invasive alternative to tobacco heaters because they are born as a tool to quit smoking. At the same time, HTPs are the mere answer of the big tobacco industry to win back customers.

Remember, the best thing to do is always to not smoke or vape, but if you just can’t quit, be sure to make the best choice.