Harm reduction of heated tobacco in outdoor spaces in place of burnt tobacco smoking

Abstract

The effect of heat-not-burn (HnB) tobacco in smoking practices has been evaluated in outdoor scenarios by using gas sensors. The data obtained confirmed that the use of HnB tobacco has a minimal impact on ambient suspended particles, that is, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 levels, resulting in approximately half the effect of combustion tobacco, in line with harm reduction principles. In addition, using HnB products outdoors did not lead to high levels of VOCs in the surrounding air nor in the breath of people who use them, whether directly or through passive exposure. This contrasts sharply with the increased levels found in the breath of both active and passive users of traditional tobacco cigarettes. On the other hand, liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) analysis of HnB passive volunteers' exhaled breath extracts showed typical compounds of tobacco manufacturing products.