PMI Launches IQOS Pilot in Florida, Advancing Market Layout in the US

Key points:

IQOS has officially entered the market in Fort Lauderdale, Florida: Following a pilot program in Austin, Texas, PMI U.S. has launched the "Be the First" program in Florida, allowing only current smokers or users of nicotine products who are 21 years and older to register.

IQOS is positioned as a reduced-harm alternative to tobacco: PMI announced that IQOS has received FDA authorization as a "modified risk tobacco product.

Only available to existing nicotine users aged 21 and above: Applicants for the waiting list must verify their identity and eligibility for use.

User conversion: Over the past ten years since its launch in Japan, approximately 23 million adult users have completed the transition from cigarettes to IQOS.

According to a report from Businesswire on May 2, Philip Morris International (PMI) announced that its U.S. subsidiary PMI U.S. has officially launched its heated tobacco product IQOS in the Fort Lauderdale area of Florida, and has simultaneously started the "Be the First" pilot program. This program is open for reservation to nicotine users aged 21 and above, with the goal of attracting the first group of users before the product is fully marketed.

Prior to this, the pilot program had been launched in the Austin area of Texas, with over 5,000 adult consumers participating. Currently, IQOS has been officially released in Austin.

Stacey Kennedy, the CEO of PMI U.S., emphasized that providing a range of smoke-free alternatives is crucial in helping traditional tobacco users fully replace cigarettes. She highlighted that the diverse cultural and industrial structure of the Fort Lauderdale area makes it an ideal choice for the placement of IQOS.

Philip Morris International (PMI) emphasizes that IQOS has been certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a "modified risk tobacco product" (MRTP), which means that the FDA believes it is beneficial for promoting public health.

On the marketing front, PMI U.S. will be conducting activities throughout Miami during the Formula One Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix weekend, educating consumers in the IQOS lounge, and hosting an official IQOS launch event.

Consumers can sign up for the waiting list at www.IQOS.com/us, and registration is limited to adults aged 21 and older who currently smoke or use nicotine products.

IQOS is currently available in around 70 countries worldwide. Since its initial launch in Japan ten years ago, approximately 23 million adult users have switched from traditional cigarettes to IQOS.