in the UAE to Accelerate the Achievement of a Smoke-Free Future
- UAE first market in the Middle East to debut new tobacco heating system, IQOS ILUMA
- IQOS ILUMA, PMI’s most innovative tobacco heating device yet, provides adult smokers another better choice than continued smoking and represents an important leap forward in the company’s efforts to accelerate achieving a smoke-free future
Dubai, UAE — November 14, 2022 — Philip Morris Management Services (Middle East) Limited. (PMMS) today announced the launch of IQOS ILUMA in the UAE, the latest and most innovative addition to their growing portfolio of smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke cigarettes or use nicotine products. Today, this range of better alternatives to cigarettes includes multiple generations of the IQOS tobacco-heating system. Uniquely, the new IQOS ILUMA series becomes the brand’s first tobacco-heating system to introduce breakthrough induction-heating technology, which utilizes no blade and requires no cleaning.
Tarkan Demirbas, Area Vice President Middle East at PMMS said: “In 2019, the UAE became the first country in the Gulf Cooperation Council to regulate Heated Tobacco Products. The launch of the new IQOS ILUMA in the UAE is the most recent example of our commitment to offer adult smokers with scientifically substantiated alternatives which, while not risk-free, are considered better alternatives to continued smoking.”
“We have launched several generations of our IQOS tobacco heating system; expanding our portfolio to offer constantly improved, science-backed solutions that take advantage of advancements in technology and address pain points heard from consumers” said Philip Morris International (PMI) CEO Jacek Olczak. He added “This commitment to continuous innovation plays a significant role in our ambition to deliver a smoke-free future. The launch of IQOS ILUMA, our most innovative device yet, gives adult smokers another better choice and represents an important leap forward in our efforts to accelerate the end of smoking.”
The IQOS ILUMA series offers three devices at various price points to meet adult smoker and user needs in the UAE: IQOS ILUMA Prime, IQOS ILUMA and IQOS ILUMA One. All three devices use new induction-heating technology but offer different designs to allow adult users to select the device that best suits their preferences.
IQOS ILUMA SMARTCORE INDUCTION SYSTEM™ TECHNOLOGY
The innovative heating technology in these devices is the SMARTCORE INDUCTION SYSTEM™ that heats the tobacco from within the new tobacco sticks. These newly designed sticks are to be used only with IQOS ILUMA[1], which features an auto-start function that detects when the tobacco stick is inserted and automatically turns on the device. These bladeless devices offer a cleaner way to heat tobacco from the core, without burning it, to provide a more consistent experience, no tobacco residue, and no need to clean the device while maintaining on average 95% lower levels of harmful chemicals compared with cigarettes[2].
PMI has been proactively disrupting its own business with almost all its R&D and most of its commercial investments being dedicated to smoke-free products. Since 2008, PMI has invested USD 9 billion[3] in the development, scientific substantiation, and production of smoke-free alternatives to smoking and will continue to do so in its journey to encourage adult smokers, who would otherwise continue smoking, to switch to better alternatives. More than 980 R&D experts, including 300 world-class scientists, currently work on the company’s smoke-free portfolio.As of September 2022, PMI’s smoke-free products are available in 70 markets. PMI has stated its ambition to be present in 100 markets with its smoke-free products by 2025. There are approximately 19.5 million total IQOS users excluding Russia and Ukraine, of which approximately 13.5 million adult smokers who have switched to IQOS and stopped smoking, with the balance in various stages of conversion.[4] PMI’s ambition is that by 2025 at least 40 million PMI cigarette smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke will have switched to smoke-free products. Furthermore, the company’s ambition is that more than half of its net revenues will come from smoke-free products by 2025.
IQOS ILUMA PRIME, IQOS ILUMA, and IQOS ILUMA ONE will be available to purchase in store at the IQOS boutique in Dubai Mall from November 15, 2022, and 50 locations across the UAE by the end of November.
Philip Morris International:
Delivering a Smoke-Free Future Philip Morris International (PMI) is a leading international tobacco company working to deliver a smoke-free future and evolving its portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company’s current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor and oral nicotine products, which are sold in markets outside the U.S. Since 2008, PMI has invested more than USD 9 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes. This includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the marketing of versions of PMI’s IQOS Platform 1 devices and consumables as a Modified Risk Tobacco Products (MRTPs), finding that an exposure modification orders for these products are appropriate to promote the public health. As of September 30, 2022, excluding Russia and Ukraine, PMI’s smoke-free products are available for sale in 70 markets, and PMI estimates that approximately 13.5 million adults around the world had already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. With a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, in February 2021, PMI announced its ambition to expand into wellness and healthcare areas and deliver innovative products and solutions that aim to address unmet consumer and patient needs.
[1] IQOS ILUMA is designed to be used only with TEREA SMARTCORE STICKSTM. IQOS ILUMA and TEREA SMARTCORE STICKSTM must not be used with previous IQOS generations, as this may cause damage to the device. As TEREA SMARTCORE STICKSTM contain a sharp metal part that can cause serious injury if swallowed, they must be kept out of reach of children and pets and must not be ingested or disassembled.
[2] Important information: It does not necessarily equal a 95% reduction in risk. IQOS ILUMA is not risk-free. Reductions in levels of a range of harmful chemicals (excluding nicotine) compared to the smoke of a reference cigarette.
[3] Source: PMI Q3 Earnings Release – September 2022
[4] Source: Philip Morris International 2022 Third-Quarter Results
