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What exactly is a TEREA stick?
TEREA is the product name for heated tobacco sticks made to work only with the IQOS ILUMA family. Each stick holds selected, finely cut real tobacco. Once it is inserted and the device is switched on, the metal core inside the stick is heated by an induction current from the device, and that heat passes into the surrounding tobacco.
SMARTCORE STICK is the manufacturer's label for sticks that carry a metal core like this, and TEREA belongs to that group.
Keeping the heater inside the stick, instead of pushing a blade into it, is the clear break from older devices. A wider overview sits on the TEREA section home page.
How does TEREA differ from an ordinary cigarette?
The main difference is how heat is produced. A cigarette is lit and burns at its tip. TEREA is not lit at all; an electrically driven metal core inside the stick warms the tobacco around it. The outside differs as well, because TEREA is shorter and uses its own dedicated wrapping materials.
With no direct burning, an ILUMA device leaves no ash to tap away and needs no separate lighter.
It does, however, depend on its battery every time a session begins. The full start-up sequence is on how to use IQOS ILUMA.
That dependence on a charged battery is one practical difference users notice first.
Which six parts make up a TEREA stick?
There are six main parts: a front plug that keeps tobacco from falling out, a stainless-steel-coated metal core that produces the heat, the tobacco itself in the middle of the stick, ventilation holes that regulate how much aerosol passes through, a wrapping layer that keeps residue out of the device, and a cooling section before the mouthpiece.
The cooling section near the mouth end lowers the aerosol temperature before it reaches the user, a feature common to sticks of this kind.
The table on this page summarises each part and its job. How a session feels from start to finish is covered on how to use TEREA sticks.
Why is the tobacco placed in the middle of the stick?
Because the metal core that receives induction heat has to sit where tobacco surrounds it on every side, so heat can spread evenly outwards. Older sticks were different: the device's blade was pushed in from outside, so the tobacco did not need to be centred. The TEREA layout was designed for ILUMA from scratch.
Putting the heat source inside the stick also removes the need for a blade in the device.
That is why ILUMA devices do not need the blade cleaning that older models required. The structural contrast with the older stick is explained on HEETS vs TEREA.
What does SmartCore Induction mean in relation to TEREA?
SmartCore Induction System is the name of the heating system in ILUMA devices, which works with metal-core sticks such as TEREA. A coil in the device sends an induction current to the core inside the stick, and no part of the device touches the stick directly, which is why it is described as a blade-free system.
In casual conversation the system name is often used as if it meant the stick, but technically they are separate things.
The induction system belongs to the device, while TEREA is the stick built to match it. Device models are compared on the IQOS devices page.
Does TEREA contain nicotine?
Yes. TEREA holds real tobacco, which naturally contains nicotine, and heating it releases an aerosol that carries nicotine to the user. For that reason the product is intended only for adults who already use nicotine products. This page describes structure only and makes no claims about health effects of any kind.
A related stick, LEVIA, has no tobacco leaf but still contains nicotine, according to IQOS UK.
How LEVIA, DELIA, SENTIA and other names fit together is laid out on the stick types page, which lists every heated stick name the manufacturer publishes.
The same stick design is shared by SENTIA, a separate brand line.
Can one TEREA stick be used more than once?
No. Each stick is designed for a single heating cycle. Once the tobacco inside has been heated to the end of its useful state, it cannot give the same taste again. When the device signals that the cycle has finished, the stick should be removed and disposed of properly rather than kept for another go.
Stick counts per pack, and how they line up with a device's charge, are covered on TEREA pack size.
Our English pages describe what official material says and add no numbers of our own.
Our pages are written for adult readers and describe products as official sources present them, without comparing risks between products.
What basics help before reading the rest of the TEREA pages?
The key point is that TEREA works only in the ILUMA family and cannot swap places with HEETS sticks made for older devices. With that in mind, the other pages on flavours, usage and comparisons become much easier to follow. This page deliberately stays with definition and structure, leaving each other topic to its own page.
Official advice treats heated tobacco sticks and devices as not permitted in Thailand, whatever their design; see TEREA and Thai rules.
For flavour names, continue with the flavours guide.
Once a cycle ends, the tobacco has done its job and the stick is finished. Starting again requires a fresh stick from the pack.
| Part | Main job |
|---|---|
| Front plug | Keeps tobacco in and makes insertion and removal easy |
| Stainless-steel-coated metal core | Takes induction heat from the device and passes it on |
| Tobacco | Sits in the centre around the core for even heating |
| Ventilation holes | Regulate how much aerosol reaches the user |
| Wrapping layer | Helps keep tobacco residue out of the device |
| Cooling section | Lowers aerosol temperature before the mouthpiece |
Frequently asked questions
Is TEREA a cigarette?
What is the metal part inside TEREA?
Is SmartCore the name of the stick?
Is TEREA the same thing as SENTIA?
Why does ILUMA not need blade cleaning?
Who is this page written for?
Sources
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