Any one headed to Toronto to buy iQOS?

[Tony Dokoupil]

Hey ya'll, I'm a correspondent for CBS News. I grew up in a house with a lot of Marlboro around, so much Marlboro that my stepfather's "miles" got me a wallet and dartboard. (Shoulda saved up for the canoe.) I've been following the roll-out of iqos, a new e-cig that Philip Morris International says could help move the world out of the traditional cig business forever. iqos is now available in Toronto, just over the US border, and the exclusive vendor there told me Americans come over to buy it. I'd LOVE to talk to one of these iQOS early adopters for a story I'm working on for CBS This Morning, our flagship national morning show. Know any one? Get in touch. Thanks all.

Tony Dokoupil
(dokoupilt@cbsnews.com)

 

[dom qp]

$200 to buy a starter kit and $80 for 'juices'. That's insane. I was smoking 1.5 packs a day. The $80 'carton' wouldn't even last me a week. What would last me a couple weeks on IQOS could last me 6 months to a year on regular vaporizers. I'm getting 120ml for $15 CAD which lasts about 2 weeks. That's $30 a month to sustain my current vaping habit. $30 for a better experience over the $320 it would cost me for IQOS for one month.

The form factor and technical specs have the IQOS geared a lot more towards people just coming into vaping. Kits with similar performances can be had for less than $50 and the juice is much cheaper as well. This more or less only appeals to people who don't currently vape and are ignorant of what is currently available. Add to that the fact that a lot of the failure in converting from cigarettes to electronic cigarettes comes from people who only try these cigalike type devices - it didn't work for me either.

I think most of us started on something similar, albeit older, and moved onto greater things. I think the cost of this kit, for what you're getting, is going to dissuade a lot of people from moving full time to vaping.

The majority of people using vaporizers that i've met in person aren't very fond of big tobacco. Part of the appeal of vaping is to support local vendors and juice makers, using products made by people who are also using those very same products. It's more than just buying and using an electronic cigarette, it's about being part of a community. For us, I don't think IQOS or anything like it will catch on. In the end, the hobbyists are the ones guzzling juice and buying new tech that comes out month after month. The people keeping this 'scene' alive, from an economic perspective, are the exact people that won't latch onto IQOS.

I found a review for IQOS on youtube dating from 2015. Proper vape gear from 2015 doesn't retail that much anymore. Since then we've gotten solidly into sub-ohm tanks, temperature control, and opened up rebuildable tanks to the layman. Thinking that it will take off now, for the cost and performance, is insane.

For reference, I was looking at this site: Buy IQOS Heatsticks - Marlboro, Parliament, Heets - IQOS Starter Kits!

And this is the review from 2015:

If you told me it would cost $200 + $360 a month to switch to a cartridge-based cigalike tootle puffer, when I was a smoker, i'd laugh at you and pull out another analog cigarette. That's more than my car payment and insurance combined.

I'm a short drive from Toronto. If you want to send me $280 for the kit and a carton, i'd gladly go pick it up and give you my impressions. Spoiler: they won't be positive.

 

[Terry Koontz]

$200 to buy a starter kit and $80 for 'juices'. That's insane. I was smoking 1.5 packs a day. The $80 'carton' wouldn't even last me a week. What would last me a couple weeks on IQOS could last me 6 months to a year on regular vaporizers. I'm getting 120ml for $15 CAD which lasts about 2 weeks. That's $30 a month to sustain my current vaping habit. $30 for a better experience over the $320 it would cost me for IQOS for one month.

The form factor and technical specs have the IQOS geared a lot more towards people just coming into vaping. Kits with similar performances can be had for less than $50 and the juice is much cheaper as well. This more or less only appeals to people who don't currently vape and are ignorant of what is currently available. Add to that the fact that a lot of the failure in converting from cigarettes to electronic cigarettes comes from people who only try these cigalike type devices - it didn't work for me either.

I think most of us started on something similar, albeit older, and moved onto greater things. I think the cost of this kit, for what you're getting, is going to dissuade a lot of people from moving full time to vaping.

The majority of people using vaporizers that i've met in person aren't very fond of big tobacco. Part of the appeal of vaping is to support local vendors and juice makers, using products made by people who are also using those very same products. It's more than just buying and using an electronic cigarette, it's about being part of a community. For us, I don't think IQOS or anything like it will catch on. In the end, the hobbyists are the ones guzzling juice and buying new tech that comes out month after month. The people keeping this 'scene' alive, from an economic perspective, are the exact people that won't latch onto IQOS.

I found a review for IQOS on youtube dating from 2015. Proper vape gear from 2015 doesn't retail that much anymore. Since then we've gotten solidly into sub-ohm tanks, temperature control, and opened up rebuildable tanks to the layman. Thinking that it will take off now, for the cost and performance, is insane.

For reference, I was looking at this site: Buy IQOS Heatsticks - Marlboro, Parliament, Heets - IQOS Starter Kits!

And this is the review from 2015:

If you told me it would cost $200 + $360 a month to switch to a cartridge-based cigalike tootle puffer, when I was a smoker, i'd laugh at you and pull out another analog cigarette. That's more than my car payment and insurance combined.

I'm a short drive from Toronto. If you want to send me $280 for the kit and a carton, i'd gladly go pick it up and give you my impressions. Spoiler: they won't be positive.

good reply !

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Even if I was in Toronto, I wouldn't go. But I do see the shrewdness of Phillip Morris marketing.

Their target market is the guy and gal who want to quit, but don't want the bother. They want to vape like they smoke.

They aren't interested in our lingo or all the stuff we do with coils, wicks, tanks, devices. They don't care how advanced our technology is and don't want the bother of choosing the "right" setup.

Lucrative market, but once those poor souls do the cost analysis, they're gone like yesterday.

 

[Vapemesilly]

Even if I was in Toronto, I wouldn't go. But I do see the shrewdness of Phillip Morris marketing.

Their target market is the guy and gal who want to quit, but don't want the bother. They want to vape like they smoke.

They aren't interested in our lingo or all the stuff we do with coils, wicks, tanks, devices. They don't care how advanced our technology is and don't want the bother of choosing the "right" setup.

Lucrative market, but once those poor souls do the cost analysis, they're gone like yesterday.

Not sure I completely agree with this. A lot of people just don't know anything about vaping. You don't know what you don't know. Those are the people that will buy these units. If it happens to work and they get off the cigs who are we to be high and mighty because we took a different (and cheaper) route. Some of those folks will eventually find their way over here to the dark side

 

[Terry Koontz]

Not sure I completely agree with this. A lot of people just don't know anything about vaping. You don't know what you don't know. Those are the people that will buy these units. If it happens to work and they get off the cigs who are we to be high and mighty because we took a different (and cheaper) route. Some of those folks will eventually find their way over here to the dark side

I kinda agree with you.
But the cost is insane !

 

[dom qp]

Even if I was in Toronto, I wouldn't go. But I do see the shrewdness of Phillip Morris marketing.

Their target market is the guy and gal who want to quit, but don't want the bother. They want to vape like they smoke.

They aren't interested in our lingo or all the stuff we do with coils, wicks, tanks, devices. They don't care how advanced our technology is and don't want the bother of choosing the "right" setup.

Lucrative market, but once those poor souls do the cost analysis, they're gone like yesterday.

I did that:

• All prices in CAD as i'm in Canada.
• I used to smoke 1.5 packs a day, or 5.24 cartons a month. I used 4 cartons a month for the below.
• I currently vape 60ml a week, 240ml a month.
• I messed up and added $30 to the base price of regular cigarettes. Not redoing everything for that, just substract $30 for tobacco cigs.
• This is a quick and dirty. I didn't include the prices of lighters, replacement coils, shipping, electricity to charge batteries. This varies person to person and frankly has no impact on the point i'm making.

Prices:

Cumulative cost over 2 years:

No thanks. I'll save the $4,500 a year.

Not sure I completely agree with this. A lot of people just don't know anything about vaping. You don't know what you don't know. Those are the people that will buy these units. If it happens to work and they get off the cigs who are we to be high and mighty because we took a different (and cheaper) route. Some of those folks will eventually find their way over here to the dark side

Look at the "vapor" this thing puts out. I doubt it would be successful in getting anyone off cigarettes. The only dark side they're going to is back to their cigarettes.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Not sure I completely agree with this. A lot of people just don't know anything about vaping. You don't know what you don't know. Those are the people that will buy these units. If it happens to work and they get off the cigs who are we to be high and mighty because we took a different (and cheaper) route. Some of those folks will eventually find their way over here to the dark side

We might agree more than you think. What BT needs to do is engineer a system that's almost as effective as the gear we use that costs only a bit more than a pack a day of their premium brand. That device absolutely has to be as easy as smoking, or it is doomed.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

That is atrocious. I would be embarrassed to ask people to use that for free.

 

[Bonskibon]

I'm confused. Is it burning tobacco? That's not vaping.

 

[Foggy Road]

That is an absolutely atrocious gimmick! Can't believe anyone would fall for it, but then again 16+million Americans do believe that chocolate milk comes from chocolate cows!

 

[suprtrkr]

I tried Cig-a-Likes. My first one managed to convince me an alternative delivery system could work for me. It was also the last one I bought. Neither will I be going back.

 

[retired1]

I'm confused. Is it burning tobacco? That's not vaping.

No, it's not burning it. It's vaporizing the tobacco which is saturated with PG.

Folks, bear in mind, this is all part of the harm reduction. While you may not want to try it, let's try to keep an open mind and keep things in perspective.

 

[Aus11]

That thing is priced like a buyout. "Oh you want to quit buying our cigarettes? Well well, its gonna cost you."

I understand it may help people quit but I just dont see how that price is warranted. I also know some people may not want to learn about vaping in order to use it to quit, but that doesn't mean you should turn them upside down and shake the lunch money out of their pockets.

 

[NealBJr]

I have a few concerns with this setup.

I do agree, it is safer if it does eliminate the tar. That is the #1 worst thing about smoking in my opinion. It would be a step in the right direction if this thing totally eliminates it.

But, my main concern is the actual tobacco. Most tobacco is treated with chemicals. These chemicals are to speed the drying process, increase the effect of nicotine, "enhance" the flavor, and whatnot. How safe is the tobacco in this product?

To be honest, I am a bit skeptical about this. Knowing how the tobacco company has worked in the past, I think it is just another way to market traditional tobacco. I don't blame them, they ARE a company trying to stay in business. But I get this sinking feeling that it is more of a publicity stunt than anything else. Only time will tell. I know my usage of Ecigarettes is a vastly cheaper alternative. I don't think I'd switch to it or even try it. I have gotten off of the tobacco flavors for a long time, and I have no desire to go back to it.

 

[sofarsogood]

My DIY costs 1.2 cents per ml, about $25 a year. That replaces a carton a week that cost $3,000 a year. Do the math.

 

[northhar]

@dom qp Like your running cost analysis.

The reason there system price is so high.. TAXES ... using tobacco it is subject to the same taxes as any other tobacco product....

Comparing non taxed E-liquid with a high taxed product is a one-sided comparison.

..

 

[dom qp]

@dom qp Like your running cost analysis.

The reason there system price is so high.. TAXES ... using tobacco it is subject to the same taxes as any other tobacco product....

Comparing non taxed E-liquid with a high taxed product is a one-sided comparison.

..

I don't agree. It's part of the cost; whether or not it applies to both doesn't matter.

It's like if we were comparing the cost of driving to work vs taking the bus to work. Only driving requires us to fill up the gas tank, but we wouldn't argue it's one sided because it's part of the cost of driving only.

 

[Bonskibon]

No, it's not burning it. It's vaporizing the tobacco which is saturated with PG.

Oh, ok, I watched the video and it showed a "packed" cigarette so I didn't understand the concept. I just wonder if it's pure tobacco or has all the other chemicals in them and how that would affect the final outcome and does all the other chemicals get saturated in the PG as well. I just don't trust BT.

 

[stols001]

I have to say I don't want to try it, personally. I also don't fault any smoker who can *afford it* deciding to use that product, as yes, however many flaws it has, it's reported to be safer than smoking. So I'm not going to argue....

I think this is an interesting addition to the harm reduction market, I also think it shows BT wanting to differentiate itself from that market... I wonder if they would have developed it knowing what came down the pike. That said, it is what it is, I'm going to stay neutral about it. My thing is it's not a cigalike convenience, there's a bit of work going into refilling/rebuying etc. Who knows what the market will do with it, I'm not opposed to it, I just wouldn't buy it personally. I think it *might* work better for a smoker having trouble switching, so I don't want to condemn it, either, if it's a "gateway" into vaping down the line...

Anna