Information sheet: measuring priority emissions in heated tobacco products, importance for regulators and significance for public health

Overview

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are a re-emerging class of tobacco products that present regulatory challenges in many countries.  One of such challenges is the lack of standardized analytical testing methods for HTPs, which are devoid of tobacco industry involvement. This information sheet was prepared in response to calls from Member States, to WHO, to provide guidance on the testing of the priority contents and emissions of these products. It provides useful information on the priority emissions in HTPs to a wide range of stakeholders including policy makers, regulators, scientists, non-governmental organizations, and all WHO regional and country offices, and makes the case for their regulation.  It also highlights the public health significance of measuring priority emissions and specifically addresses the following questions: 

• What are heated tobacco products?
• Why measure and regulate tobacco products?
• Why measure and regulate HTP emissions?
• Which HTP emissions should be measured as priorities for regulation?
• What TobLabNet methods are available for measuring priority chemicals in HTP emissions?
• What can regulators do to support method development by TobLabNet?
• References

HTPs were recognized as tobacco products at the Eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the provisions of the WHO FCTC fully apply, including Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC.  Therefore, this information sheet contributes to the knowledge on HTPs and will help guide countries interested in testing and regulating the emissions of HTPs, in order to strengthen implementation of Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC.