Big Tobacco Introduces Rooibos-infused 'Heat-not-burn' Sticks to Circumvent EU Ban on Tobacco Products

In an intriguing shift to avert the impending European Union (EU) ban on flavoured heated tobacco products, major tobacco firms are reportedly producing 'heat-not-burn' sticks that contain nicotine-infused substances such as rooibos tea.

Rooibos, a plant indigenous to South Africa and a familiar component in local tea brewing, offers a unique solution to these companies. While the concept of a 'heat-not-burn' stick is not novel, the 'twist in the tea' (in this case, rooibos) is a recent innovation.

Previously, the tobacco industry made similar products containing tobacco, aiming to circumvent the toxic chemicals produced during combustion. The newly infused rooibos 'heat-not-burn' sticks are scheduled for launch across nine European markets, including Germany and Greece. Plans are also afoot to roll out the product on a global scale.

Interestingly, British American Tobacco’s (BAT) zero-tobacco sticks, which seemingly embrace this new innovation, are not subject to the current EU regulatory scrutiny surrounding tobacco. Bat, however, declined to disclose what these zero-tobacco sticks are made from and remained quiet on any conducted research about the product’s health implications.

Health experts caution that the safety aspects of these heat sticks remain uncertain. Despite this, BAT's competitor, Philip Morris International (PMI), is set to roll out a zero-tobacco stick of its own later this year.