Any one headed to Toronto to buy iQOS?

[dom qp]

For those still wondering about how this works.

It's basically a vaporizer like we see for dry herbs. The difference is instead of using those dried herbs they're using prepacked tobacco rolls that look like cigarettes.

You could essentially buy a dry herb vaporizer and use pipe tobacco and get a better result (more robust 'mod').

 

[Opinionated]

Hey ya'll, I'm a correspondent for CBS News. I grew up in a house with a lot of Marlboro around, so much Marlboro that my stepfather's "miles" got me a wallet and dartboard. (Shoulda saved up for the canoe.) I've been following the roll-out of iQOS, a new e-cig that Philip Morris International says could help move the world out of the traditional cig business forever. iQOS is now available in Toronto, just over the US border, and the exclusive vendor there told me Americans come over to buy it. I'd LOVE to talk to one of these iQOS early adopters for a story I'm working on for CBS This Morning, our flagship national morning show. Know any one? Get in touch. Thanks all.

Tony Dokoupil
(dokoupilt@cbsnews.com)

I would never ever drive across the Canadian border to give BT even MORE money than the hundreds of thousands of dollars I have already given them in my lifetime, for something that doesn't even have good reviews from overseas where it is legal.

Phillip Morris Smokeless Cigarette Not as Safe as E-Cigarettes, Big Tobacco Researcher Says | E-Cigarette Reviews and Rankings

Philip Morris IQOS No Less Harmful Than Cigarettes, French Pneumologist Says | E-Cigarette Reviews and Rankings

I vape, tobacco free, and my device cost me a hundred dollars and will last around 3 -5 years (it's a provari). I spend a total of around 25.00 a MONTH for e juice; a fraction of the cost of their new heat not burn tobacco, for a high level of freedom and none of the bad associated with cigarettes (smell, taste, addiction etc).

They can keep their high dollar crap, I bought into it when I was a kid and found myself an addict for life.. you can tell them from me, it will be over my dead body that I buy another one of their products again.

 

[stols001]

I like Canada as much as the next person, but I wouldn't travel there to get that product. I'd save my money for Fun Activities.

Also, I think the OP is a journalist? Why not have your magazine/website etc. send you there yourself, you can purchase it, and even if you want, try it?

I'm also confused as to why the poster is desperate to find a user... Are the Canadians not buying them *snort*? Does the journalist expect us to do the research for him/her? Because I'd just travel to Canada and find some users of the product.... I don't think you will find many takers here....

Anna

 

[Eskie]

If it helps get a smoker off combustible tobacco, great. But the price point is absurd.

I did not watch the video, but based on the replacement package design of 10 sets of 20 inserts/cartridges, which make it seem much like buying a carton of cigarettes, does that mean you have to swap cartridges 20 times a day if you're a pack a day smoker?

 

[Opinionated]

If it helps get a smoker off combustible tobacco, great. But the price point is absurd.

I did not watch the video, but based on the replacement package design of 10 sets of 20 inserts/cartridges, which make it seem much like buying a carton of cigarettes, does that mean you have to swap cartridges 20 times a day if you're a pack a day smoker?

Yes, they are set up EXACTLY like cigarettes, if you used to smoke two packs a day you need 40 cartridges because they act just like cigarettes. The extreme highs and then turn around jonesing for another, each cartridge lasts about 5 minutes..

 

[Bonskibon]

If it helps get a smoker off combustible tobacco, great. But the price point is absurd.

I did not watch the video, but based on the replacement package design of 10 sets of 20 inserts/cartridges, which make it seem much like buying a carton of cigarettes, does that mean you have to swap cartridges 20 times a day if you're a pack a day smoker?

From watching the video it seems each "cartridge" is about 14 puff so about equivalent to one cigarette.

 

[stols001]

That is my understanding also, one "stick" equals one cigarette. I could never afford to vape that product, I'd need 3 "fill ups" a day.

Anna

 

[Bonskibon]

Yes, they are set up EXACTLY like cigarettes, if you used to smoke two packs a day you need 40 cartridges because they act just like cigarettes. The extreme highs and then turn around jonesing for another, each cartridge lasts about 5 minutes..

Posted at the same time.

 

[Eskie]

That is seriously nuts.

 

[Opinionated]

That is seriously nuts.

It's just right back to smoking with those. They might be "somewhat" safer than smoking a lit and burning cigarette, but they aren't as safe as e cigarettes.. not by a long shot. They are simply for people who don't want to quit smoking, and don't mind the addiction.

 

[stols001]

I don't think they are either Opinionated. But either way, I'm not about to find out. If someone gifted me one of those? I think I'd pass it on to a still smoker who might want to try it, but I'd still be saying.... Y'know, vaping...??

Anna

 

[Opinionated]

Posted at the same time.

Great minds, great minds..

 

[Bonskibon]

I would want to know what the tobacco was "laced" with if anything. I know exactly whats in my ejuice.

 

[classwife]

Tho expensive, I can see this being of interest to a current smoker.
For me - yech ! I don't like anything with a tobacco flavor to it at all.

Be careful bringing things across borders...

What Will it Cost? – ezbordercrossing.com
Duties on Americans Returning to the U.S.
The amount of your personal exemption is dependant on how long you were out of the country.

• Less than 48 hours – $200.00 worth of goods, per person, is tax and duty free. This can include 150 ml (5 oz) of alcohol and 10 cigars (non Cuban). U.S. citizens may buy these amounts daily.
• Over 48 hours – $800 worth of goods, per person are tax and duty free. Purchases may include 1 liter of liquor , 200 cigarettes (1 carton), and 100 cigars. U.S. citizens may buy these amounts once a month. Family members may combine their tax and duty allowances.

Duties will apply when you exceed these allowances. Typical charges are $2.00 – $3.00 per bottle of liquor, $1.30 per case of beer and $3.90 per carton of cigarettes. U.S. duty rates on purchases exceeding 1 liter of booze are assessed according to alcohol content.

Children are entitled to a personal exemption as long as the goods they are declaring are for the child’s use.

 

[Opinionated]

Tho expensive, I can see this being of interest to a current smoker.
For me - yech ! I don't like anything with a tobacco flavor to it at all.

I'd rather see people make the switch to vaping, the addiction factor isn't there with vaping like it is with these, and there are fewer chemicals involved when you leave tobacco aside.

If your going to get away from combustible tobacco, it's best to get as far away as you can.

This is my opinion.

 

[r77r7r]

I believe Oliver K. did a bit of an early review here a few months back?

 

[Rossum]

iQOS has been a runaway success in Japan.

Most folks here have been successful in putting down combustibles using "traditional e-cigs". But we know this doesn't work for everyone, in part because our e-cigs only deliver nicotine and not the other alkaloids and MAOIs in tobacco. This means most of us still went through some level of withdrawal. iQOS, actually being tobacco, might solve that problem and work for many who've tried traditional vaping but didn't succeed in getting off combustibles that way. If so, that would be A Good Thing despite the cost.

Is iQOS as safe as traditional vaping? Probably not. Is it safer than smoking combustibles? Almost certainly. In any case, I think it would be a mistake for us to condemn or bad-mouth HnB products on that basis. No sane vaper has ever claimed that vaping is entirely free of risk or harm, only that it's much safer that smoking. Harm reduction is a continuum, not a binary thing, and pretty much anything that eliminates combustion is a step in the right direction.

For us to take the attitude that smokers shouldn't even consider iQOS or other HnB products would be no better than people who managed to quit cold-turkey telling smokers they shouldn't even consider traditional e-cigs.

 

[stols001]

I agree that they might help smokers quit more easily. I'm just saying the product isn't for me. And I'm kind of glad, because it's out of my budget, and had it been around I may've wanted to try that first, as a current smoker, I could've seen the appeal . My main issue isn't just the unknown chemicals (though I still *believe* so far that it's safer than smoking) but it also being a completely unsustainable habit (for me.) I'm kinda glad I got over my MAOI hump before this showed up on my radar. I have heard that they are achieving success in Japan. I don't think it's terrible to have a continuum of harm reduction options, so I certainly won't outright condemn it, I just think it's a) way too expensive (and yes, I understand taxes would be added in here) and I did smoke Marlboros for a while but I wasn't ever a huge fan of their chemical/flavor profile, to put it mildly....

Anna

 

[Eskie]

I'm sure they've done a ton of work to get these things on the market, so some information must be around addressing the safety concerns. It could very well turn out that heating tobacco that has had some VG added to it (I assume so the user things it's "smoke") is quite safe. It doesn't change the fact it is grossly overpriced to other nicotine delivery methods.

As to the question at hand, is any US vaper heading for the border to buy these things will be tough to determine from this self selected bunch who have stopped smoking with vaping and like it.

 

[Opinionated]

iQOS has been a runaway success in Japan.

Most folks here have been successful in putting down combustibles using "traditional e-cigs". But we know this doesn't work for everyone, in part because our e-cigs only deliver nicotine and not the other alkaloids and MAOIs in tobacco. This means most of us still went through some level of withdrawal. iQOS, actually being tobacco, might solve that problem and work for many who've tried traditional vaping but didn't succeed in getting off combustibles that way. If so, that would be A Good Thing despite the cost.

Is iQOS as safe as traditional vaping? Probably not. Is it safer than smoking combustibles? Almost certainly. In any case, I think it would be a mistake for us to condemn or bad-mouth HnB products on that basis. No sane vaper has ever claimed that vaping is entirely free of risk or harm, only that it's much safer that smoking. Harm reduction is a continuum, not a binary thing, and pretty much anything that eliminates combustion is a step in the right direction.

For us to take the attitude that smokers shouldn't even consider iQOS or other HnB products would be no better than people who managed to quit cold-turkey telling smokers they shouldn't even consider traditional e-cigs.

I simply cannot see me recommending the products to anyone. Wta is available for those who need it, and can be weaned off of.

But I'm not rushing out buying HnB products for people like I do vape gear.. so far everyone I've gotten into vaping has quit smoking, everyone.

Most people simply don't know what to buy and need additional help finding the right set up for them.. they find the trial and error part something that seems prohibitive, but when we help others with that aspect we find successful vapers...