Assessment of tobacco heating product THP1.0. Part 8: Study to determine puffing topography, mouth level exposure and consumption among Japanese users

A four-arm study was undertaken in Japan to determine the puffing topography, mouth level exposure and average daily consumption by consumers of the tobacco heating products (THPs): the non-mentholated THP1.0(T), the mentholated THP1.0(M) and a tobacco heating system (THS). The extent of lip blocking of air inlet holes while using THP1.0(T) was also assessed. Groups 1, 2, and 4 included smokers, and group 3 included regular THP users. Smokers of 7-8 mg ISO nicotine free dry particulate matter (NFDPM) non-mentholated cigarettes took on average larger mean puff volumes from THPs than from conventional cigarettes, but puff numbers and durations were similar. Mouth level exposure to NFDPM and nicotine levels were significantly lower when using THPs than conventional cigarettes. Similar trends were observed among smokers of 7-8 mg ISO NFDPM mentholated cigarettes who used mentholated cigarettes and THP1.0(M). Regular users of commercial THS had similar puffing behaviours irrespective of whether they were using THS or THP1.0(T), except for mean puff volume which was lower with THP1.0(T). No smokers blocked the air inlet holes when using THP1.0(T). The puffing topography results support the machine puffing regime used to generate toxicant emissions data and in vitro toxicology testing.