How do Risk Perceptions Drive Smokers to Completely Switch to a Smoke-Free Tobacco Product (IQOS™)? A Four-Country Cohort Study

Abstract

The perceived reduced formation of harmful chemicals (RF) or perceived reduced risk of harm (RH) of a smoke-free tobacco product relative to combustible tobacco products may influence its acceptance and use patterns among adult smokers and therefore impact public health. We analyzed whether and how the RF and/or RH of the heated tobacco product (HTP) IQOS™ impacted “exclusive” (100%) IQOS™ use in Japan, Italy, Germany, and Russia.

Keywords

• perceived reduced harm
• iqos™
• heated tobacco product (htp)
• smoke-free
• complete switching