People switch mainly for the reduced risk and the lower odour. On the first stick the question about nicotine content compared with smoking almost always follows.
Every TEREA variant contains the same amount of nicotine, around 0.5 mg per stick. The difference is purely one of taste.
IQOS is considered less harmful primarily because no tar is produced – tar is a product of combustion. Nicotine itself is not the main carrier of cancer risk, but it is strongly addictive, briefly constricts blood vessels, stimulates the heart and raises blood pressure.
Nicotine levels compared
A normal cigarette contains between 0.3 mg (slims) and 0.8 mg of nicotine depending on the brand, and part of it burns off as you draw. TEREA sticks sit at around 0.5 mg, but the device only heats the tobacco rather than burning it, so uptake is more efficient.
| Brand | Nicotine (mg) | Tar (mg) | Carbon monoxide (mg) |
| TEREA for IQOS | 0.5 | < 0.001 | n/a |
| NeoStick for GLO | 0.3 | < 0.001 | n/a |
| L&M Silver | 0.4 | 4 | 5 |
| Marlboro Gold | 0.5 | 6 | 6 |
| Marlboro Red | 0.8 | 10 | 10 |
What this means for switchers
The table clears up a common misunderstanding: the familiar feeling of "not having finished" has nothing to do with nicotine content. It comes from the harshness in the throat, which in smoking is produced by burnt tar and is absent when tobacco is only heated. Nicotine content is comparable.
Because the vapour is easier to inhale, consumption goes up for some people after switching. More sensitive users react to higher doses with nausea or headaches and similar symptoms.
Our advice: keep an eye on the quantity, hold on to your old rituals – keep going out on the balcony rather than using the device everywhere – and do not treat the low odour as an invitation to consume more.