A proposed tobacco harm reduction approach for those who would not otherwise quit smoking relies on the proposition that the health burden of smoking can be reduced by encouraging switching exclusively to products that while not being risk free have the potential to reduce or eliminate toxicant exposure and reduce smoking-related harms. Heated Tobacco Products (HTP) deliver a nicotine-containing aerosol with lower or immeasurable levels of toxic constituents associated with combusting tobacco.

This randomized, ambulatory study assessed whether selected biomarkers of exposure (BoE) to cigarette smoke toxicants are reduced in smokers switched exclusively to a glo HTP for three months, compared to those who continue to smoke cigarettes.

Participants were healthy smokers assigned to continue smoking or to switch exclusively to one of five variants of the glo HTP, smokers who abstained from cigarette smoking, and never-smokers. BoE to a range of carcinogens and respiratory, cardiovascular, and reproductive toxicants included in FDA’s established list of HPHCs were assessed at baseline and three months. Daily SMS questionnaires and haemoglobin levels of N-(2-cyanoethyl)valine were used to assess compliance with cigarette smoking restrictions.

Compared to the continued smoking group, the groups switched to the glo HTP exhibited significant and substantial reductions from baseline in levels of BoE to 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, 1,3-butadiene, acrolein, benzene, and carbon monoxide, along with several secondary endpoint BoE.

Alongside chemical and toxicological studies undertaken on the glo HTP used in this study, these findings add to the weight of evidence that support our belief that smokers who switch exclusively to use of the glo HTP reduce their exposure to tobacco smoke toxicants linked with smoking-related diseases compared to those continuing to smoke.