We are witnessing a consumer-led transformation of how tobacco and nicotine is consumed

TECHNOLOGY is reshaping many aspects of society. This includes how people choose to consume tobacco and nicotine. Thanks to innovation, adult smokers, who would otherwise continue to smoke, can continue to use nicotine without the burning of tobacco, significantly reducing their exposure to harmful chemicals.

- By Kingsley Wheaton

The aspiration to find better alternatives to smoking cigarettes is not new. Over many decades, there was exploration to reduce the harm associated with smoking cigarettes, processing tobacco, different blends and filters. Over time, academics suggested that people smoked for the nicotine but died from the exposure to thousands of chemicals contained in tobacco smoke. This led to advocacy for the reduction of tar while maintaining nicotine levels. However, all these methods had significant challenges.

Then, just over twenty years ago, there was a watershed moment. E-cigarettes, or vapour products, were first developed by Hon Lik and became commercially available—a simple yet ingenious invention. Typically, a battery-powered device heats an e-liquid to produce an inhalable aerosol, commonly known as vapour. Although e-liquids usually contain nicotine, there is generally no tobacco in vapour products.

Importantly, due to the similar ritual of smoking, adult smokers started to adopt e-cigarettes as an alternative for traditional cigarettes. For the first time, smokers had access to an alternative product that provided increasingly satisfying products in terms of sensorial experience.