Tobacco & Nicotine
Heated Tobacco (IQOS / HEETS)
Street names: IQOS, HEETS, Heat-not-burn, glo
Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines
⚡What it does
- Cigarette-like nicotine delivery with less smoke smell
⚠Key risks
- Still tobacco: nicotine dependence plus tobacco-specific toxins, just lower
- Marketed as 'reduced risk' — long-term data is thin
- Gateway pattern in teens who never smoked
✚Overdose signs
- Nicotine sickness: nausea, dizziness
- Racing heart
- Headache
Category comparison — Tobacco & Nicotine
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heated Tobacco (IQOS / HEETS) | Legal, tobacco-regulated | Still tobacco: nicotine dependence plus tobacco-specific toxins, just lower; Marketed as 'reduced risk' — long-term data is thin | ~$5–$8 per pack of sticks |
| Nicotine Pouches (Zyn & Copycats) | Legal 18+/21+ | YOUTH EPIDEMIC — flavored pouches exploding among 15–25s; 'upper decky' TikTok slang; Nicotine addiction rewires the adolescent brain — attention, mood regulation | $4–$6 per can |
| Cigarettes | Legal 18/21+ worldwide; advertising heavily restricted | THE leading preventable cause of death — 8 million deaths/year globally, ~480,000/year US; Half of long-term smokers die from it: lung cancer, COPD, heart disease, stroke | $5–$15 per pack |
| Nicotine E-Cigarettes & Disposables | Legal 18/21+; FDA authorization required | THE teen nicotine epidemic — 2023-2025: disposables with up to 5% (50 mg/mL) nicotine salt, designed for addiction; Adolescent brain development disruption — attention, learning, mood regulation, impulse control | $5–$25 per disposable |
| Snus (Swedish Oral Tobacco) | Legal Sweden | THE HARM-REDUCTION DEBATE: Swedish snus is proven far safer than smoking — Sweden has Europe's lowest male lung-cancer rates — but it is NOT harmless; Oral cancer risk (lower than chewing tobacco, not zero) | $4–$8 per can |
| Chewing Tobacco & Dip | Legal 18/21+ US; banned EU sales | ORAL CANCER — the signature harm: cheek, gum, tongue cancers; often diagnosed late; Leukoplakia (white precancerous mouth patches) in most heavy users | $4–$8 per can |
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly.
?Frequently asked questions
What does Heated Tobacco (IQOS / HEETS) look like?
Cigarette-like sticks heated (not burned) in an electronic device
What are the signs of a Heated Tobacco (IQOS / HEETS) overdose?
Nicotine sickness: nausea, dizziness; Racing heart; Headache Call emergency services immediately.
How addictive is it?
Still tobacco: nicotine dependence plus tobacco-specific toxins, just lower Dependence can develop with regular use.