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Brand of heated tobacco and e-cigarette products From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ploom is a brand of tobacco heating devices that integrates aspects of both traditional and electronic cigarettes. The device employs a technology that heats tobacco without combustion. It is marketed by Japan Tobacco Inc. (JTI).
| |
| Industry | Tobacco |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Pax Labs |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | |
Key people |
|
| Owner | Japan Tobacco International |
| Website | https://www.ploom.com/ |
Ploom was initially developed in California by James Monsees and Adam Bowen. The two friends were studying design at Stanford University. For their final thesis, they developed the design of an e-cigarette that would provide smokers with the nicotine they seek without the additional carcinogenic substances resulting from burning tobacco.[1] Two years later, in 2007, they founded the company Ploom to distribute their e-cigarette.[2] Unable to find support from financial institutions, Ploom relied on private investors like Nicholas J. Pritzker[1] to launch their products.[3][4]
In 2010, Ploom released a model called the Ploom Model One Vaporizer, designed like an oversize pen. The initial Ploom e-cigarette did not have commercial success.[5]
In 2011, Japan Tobacco International invested $10 million into the company.[6] Ploom used this money to create the Pax, a vaporizer that resembled a stubby iPhone.[7] Subsequently, Ploom released the ModelTwo. In 2015, JTI acquired the patents and trademarks.[1] JTI retains the rights to manufacture and distribute the ModelTwo device and the pods product line.[8]
While the product was invented to support smokers, cannabis users discovered that the Pax streamlined the cannabis experience.[5] 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.[9]
In 2016, Ploom was launched on the Japanese market[10] and then in other countries, including France,[11] Italy, South Korea[12] and Switzerland.[13] The initial launch in Fukuoka, Japan, was so popular that shipments were suspended after a week due to a supply shortage.[10] According to JTI, Ploom would make it possible to inhale 99% of harmful constituents in less, compared to a cigarette that burns.[13] But the owner also acknowledges that no toxicity studies have been conducted on Ploom.[14]
In 2023, Romania is the tenth country where JTI is launching Ploom.[15] JTI plans to invest $3 billion in the global expansion of Ploom and is targeting 24 countries in 2024.[16]
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