Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/550316
28 tobaccoasia photos by Thomas Schmid photos from public domain aromatics that make a cigarette taste so good. Yet at the same time, many of the harmful smoke par- ticles – most notably tar – that normally find their way into a smoker's lungs are left behind, because they only are generated when actual combustion takes place. Having called the technology "the greatest growth opportunity in the years to come", PMI's c.e.o. André Calantzopoulos clearly has a hunch that "heat not burn" is in fact the new vaping. After all, his company is not only aggressively marketing the iQOS device in a number of test markets at the moment, but reportedly is also planning to produce up to 30 billion HeatSticks per year if the product concept is well received. A lot may hinge on the pricing, though. The basic starter kit currently sells for US$87 (just under €100), while a pack of 20 HeatSticks goes for US$6 – and one stick is needed for every single smoking session. …With China Hard on the Heels The "heat not burn" idea was naturally also picked up in China, although some manufacturers there have come up with their own creative solutions for a hybrid. For example, Shenzhen-based Re- laxo Technology Co. Ltd. recently introduced its proprietary IMAG product series. "Our IMAG 2 is the first vaporizer in the market that combines regular vaping functionality with a tobacco baking feature," said the company's c.e.o. James Yang. In other words: The IMAG 2 can be used with "normal" e-liquid cartomizers but also with loose tobacco. The consumer simply fills any type of moist cigarette or – even better – pipe tobacco into the device's patented heating chamber, waits for a few minutes (the heat can be adjusted as needed) and is then able to inhale the tobacco va- pors that have developed without any combustion. The most obvious advantage to PMI's iQOS is of course that no pre-fabricated HeatSticks have to be purchased, as the user can fill the heating cham- ber with as much (or as little) loose tobacco as they wish, which potentially makes the IMAG 2 also a very cost-effective option. But it doesn't even have to be only tobacco either. "If you want to, you can fill the cham- ber with any type of fresh or semi-dried herbs of your choice – let's say peppermint or thyme – and achieve the same effect as if you'd use tobacco. The IMAG 2 is quite versatile in this respect," Raymond Xu, the firm's marketing manager, explained to Tobacco Asia during a device demonstration at last year's InterTabac in Dortmund, where the product series was launched. The range also includes the some- what smaller and easier to handle IMAG PLUS, which is basically a vaporizer pen that works on The True Flavor of Holland Vaping certainly is "in", but the commonly available flavors may not be to everyone's taste. How about a whiff of cannabis then – "weed", "pot", "ganja" or whatever you want to call it? A Dutch company (who else?) going under the apt moniker of Pimp Products has taken up the challenge and released a series of disposable and rechargeable e-cigarettes running on cannabis-flavored e-juice. And yes, for those who are still torn about their flavor choice there are even ingenious blends like cannabis-apple, cannabis-strawberry, cannabis-cherry, cannabis-whisky, and even cannabis-tiramisu readily available. But no worries about getting a knock on the door from DEA agents: While the taste and smell of cannabis may be unmistakable, the liquids are actually completely devoid of THC, the active chemical that causes the cannabis buzz. To disperse any other potential concerns, the liquids also contain no nicotine and are manufactured from 100% natural ingredients. Although company owner Joram Vermeulen was not available for an interview, he told Tobacco Asia at last year's InterTabac in Dortmund that the product range enjoyed brisk sales across Europe and North America. He added he was now also successfully exporting to Japan and South Korea, but for legal reasons had to adjust his company logo, which shows a white Indian hemp leaf on a green background. Far Eastern customers will find the brand emblazoned with a Rastafarian logo instead, while the original flavor description "Cannabis Flavored" has been wittily altered to "Rasta Flavored". Where there's a (business) will, there's a way. Philipp Morris' iQOS starter kit Marlboro iQOS HeatSticks Pimp Product's disposable e-cigarette in its Far Eastern "Rasta" incarnation