A Dutch anti-smoking foundation plans to file a criminal complaint against tobacco producer Philip Morris over alleged deception and prohibited advertising involving its IQOS heated tobacco system, local media reported Monday.

The Youth Smoking Prevention Foundation accused the company of misleading consumers by promoting the product as less harmful than conventional cigarettes, according to Dutch broadcaster NOS.

Lawyer Benedicte Ficq, representing the foundation, said the complaint would be submitted to the Dutch Public Prosecution Service in mid-November.

The complaint would also target company executives and scientists who support the product's health claims, Ficq said.

"The heated tobacco product is a new wave of deception," Ficq said. "It is a new way to keep the tobacco industry's business model afloat."

IQOS heats tobacco rather than burning it. According to NOS, Philip Morris argues that the system releases lower concentrations of toxic substances and is therefore less harmful than conventional smoking.

The foundation disputed the company's claims, arguing that the product remains addictive and exposes users to carcinogenic substances.

NOS also cited the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment as saying that heated tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking.

Several Dutch health organizations support the planned complaint, including the Netherlands Cancer Institute, the Heart Foundation, the Lung Fund and the Dutch Cancer Society, known as KWF.

The foundation previously worked with Ficq on a criminal complaint against Philip Morris in 2016 that included allegations of attempted manslaughter and attempted assault.

That case did not lead to criminal prosecution.

Ficq said she believed the new complaint had stronger prospects because it involved a different product and alleged violations that her team had already documented. (AA)