Ploom is a brand of tobacco heating devices that integrates aspects of both traditional and

electronic cigarettes An electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), or vape, is a device that simulates smoking. It consists of an Construction of electronic cigarettes#Atomizer and tank, atomizer, a power source such as a battery, and a container such as a cartridge or ...

. The device employs a technology that heats tobacco without

combustion Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. Combustion ...

. It is marketed by Japan Tobacco Inc. (JTI).

History

Early Developments

Ploom was initially developed in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

by James Monsees and Adam Bowen. The two friends were studying

design A design is the concept or proposal for an object, process, or system. The word ''design'' refers to something that is or has been intentionally created by a thinking agent, and is sometimes used to refer to the inherent nature of something ...

Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

. For their final thesis, they developed the design of an e-cigarette that would provide smokers with the

nicotine Nicotine is a natural product, naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and ''Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreational drug use, recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As ...

they seek without the additional

carcinogenic A carcinogen () is any agent that promotes the development of cancer. Carcinogens can include synthetic chemicals, naturally occurring substances, physical agents such as ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, and Biological agent, biologic agent ...

substances resulting from burning tobacco. Two years later, in 2007, they founded the company Ploom to distribute their e-cigarette. Unable to find support from financial institutions, Ploom relied on private investors like Nicholas J. Pritzker to launch their products. In 2010, Ploom released a model called the Ploom Model One Vaporizer, designed like an oversize

pen PEN may refer to: * (National Ecological Party), former name of the Brazilian political party Patriota (PATRI) * PEN International, a worldwide association of writers ** English PEN, the founding centre of PEN International ** PEN America, located ...

. The initial Ploom e-cigarette did not have commercial success.

Partnership between JTI and Ploom

In 2011,

Japan Tobacco International JTI - Japan Tobacco International is the international tobacco division of Japan Tobacco (Global Fortune 500), one of the three largest international Big Tobacco product manufacturers. The holding company is JT International SA and headquartere ...

invested $10 million into the company. Ploom used this money to create the Pax, a vaporizer that resembled a stubby

iPhone The iPhone is a line of smartphones developed and marketed by Apple that run iOS, the company's own mobile operating system. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at ...

. Subsequently, Ploom released the ModelTwo. In 2015, JTI acquired the

patents A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...

and

trademarks A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a product or service from a particular source and distinguishes it from ot ...

. JTI retains the rights to manufacture and distribute the ModelTwo device and the pods product line. While the product was invented to support smokers,

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...

users discovered that the Pax streamlined the cannabis experience. JTI asked to part ways with Ploom. Ploom retained their rights to the Pax product, while Ploom changed their name to Pax Labs and bought JTI out of their share.

After the JTI Takeover

In 2016, Ploom was launched on the Japanese market and then in other countries, including

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

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South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

and

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. The initial launch in

Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

, Japan, was so popular that shipments were suspended after a week due to a supply shortage. According to JTI, Ploom would make it possible to inhale 99% of harmful constituents in less, compared to a cigarette that burns. But the owner also acknowledges that no

toxicity Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacteria, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect o ...

studies have been conducted on Ploom. In 2023,

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

is the tenth country where JTI is launching Ploom. JTI plans to invest $3 billion in the global expansion of Ploom and is targeting 24 countries in 2024.

References

External links

* {{Official, https://www.ploom.com/en Heated tobacco products Electronic cigarette manufacturers Tobacco companies of the United States American companies established in 2007 Manufacturing companies established in 2007 2007 establishments in California Manufacturing companies based in San Francisco Tobacco industry Cigarettes