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Heated tobacco products are not a safe alternative to cigarettes

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are not a safe alternative to cigarettes, according to recent research by Maastricht University and the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). These products are often marketed as less harmful, but researchers found that their emissions still contain many harmful substances. The study also shows that HTPs can have adverse health effects even in the short term. The findings were recently published in the scientific journal Inhalation Toxicology.

When using HTPs, the user inserts a tobacco stick into a heating device and inhales the aerosol that is released. The researchers analysed 74 independent scientific studies published between 2019 and 2024, determining which substances are released in the aerosol, and examining their effect on the heart, blood vessels and lungs. The scientists also conducted several studies of their own for a better understanding of the way HTPs affect the lungs and airways.

Harmful substances remain present

The study shows that compared to cigarette smoke, the aerosol from heated tobacco products does contain lower levels of some well-known harmful substances, such as nicotine. Nevertheless, users are still exposed to toxic and carcinogenic substances. Some toxins were even found in higher concentrations than in cigarette smoke. The researchers also identified specific harmful substances that are produced by the heating process and by plastic components in the product, and which are absent in the smoke from conventional cigarettes.

Effects on the heart and lungs

People who use HTPs show measurable physical changes, including adverse effects on blood pressure, heart rate and the elasticity of blood vessels. Lung function is also affected, for example through increased airway resistance. While these effects are less pronounced than in smokers, they are clearly worse than in non-users. According to the researchers, the use of HTPs should therefore be discouraged as strongly as smoking conventional cigarettes.

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