Philip Morris International Plans to Launch LEVIA, a Tobacco-Free Pod

In recent days, according to a report from Egypt's daily news outlet, Philip Morris International (PMI) is reportedly planning to introduce a smoke-free tobacco pod called LEVIA. Made from natural plant fiber known as cellulose, LEVIA contains nicotine but does not contain tobacco.

Gizelle Baker, Vice President of Global Scientific Affairs at PMI, further elaborated on the efforts of LEVIA and PMI in innovating smoke-free products.

Dr. Beck states that PMI is planning to release a heating tobacco pod called LEVIA, the details of which they hope to unveil soon. This particular product is primarily composed of cellulose derived from natural plant fibers, including tobacco leaves. While LEVIA does not contain actual tobacco, it does contain nicotine and propylene glycol, enabling the production of vaporized nicotine similar to that of an e-cigarette, without the need for tobacco leaves. As a result, despite being a smoking alternative, LEVIA lacks the taste or smell of tobacco, making it highly anticipated due to its unique sensation.

According to research findings, e-cigarettes have been found to reduce the emission of harmful chemicals by an average of 95% compared to traditional cigarettes, while LEVIA, on the other hand, reduces the emission of harmful chemicals by an average of 99%.

LEVIA is used on the IQOS ILUMA device. The device is capable of recognizing the inserted product and adjusting its settings accordingly based on the different products. Once LEVIA is launched, PMI will update the device's firmware to enable this feature, aiming to enhance the user experience of using the product.

LEVIA is now preparing to go public and plans to conduct a "consumer usage" study upon entering the market.

We are excited to be able to offer smokers a new choice to transition from tobacco products to smoke-free alternatives," said Baker.

Doctor Baker pointed out that the changes that smokers need to make can primarily be achieved by not producing smoke. When a cigarette is lit and placed in an ashtray, it releases smoke into the room.

This is known as environmental tobacco smoke and accounts for 85% of passive smoking exposure. However, if tobacco is heated instead of burned, this situation would not occur. Therefore, it can eliminate 85% of passive smoking risks. The remaining 15% comes from aerosols exhaled by users. Traditional cigarettes contain a large amount of harmful chemicals at high concentrations, while alternative products reduce harmful chemicals by 95% to 99%, depending on the product.