Steve Aoki put his name on an IQOS device. That single fact has sent a lot of people searching for whether the DJ actually uses TEREA sticks himself. The answer is documented, and it is not the one most people assume.
The short answer
No. Steve Aoki does not use TEREA. He worked with IQOS as a designer on a limited edition device series, and he has publicly described himself as a non-nicotine user while promoting that exact collaboration.
In an interview about the partnership, he was asked directly why he agreed to work with IQOS given that he does not use nicotine. His answer was about design and progress, not about the product experience. He said “even as a non-nicotine user, a smoke-free future also makes sense,” and gave a practical example: coming off stage without cigarette smell in his clothes and hair.
The TEREA connection is real, but it runs through the hardware. It does not run through Aoki.
What the IQOS x Steve Aoki collaboration actually included
IQOS marked its tenth year with a limited edition series co-created with Aoki. It was announced in late 2024 and rolled out market by market through 2025.
The series covered three devices, all carrying an “Aoki” logo that glows in the dark:
- IQOS ILUMA ONE x Steve Aoki 10 Year Edition, a yellow body with a satin black anodized top
- IQOS ILUMA x Steve Aoki 10 Year Edition, black outside with green interior detailing, a green button and a green ring
- IQOS ILUMA PRIME x Steve Aoki 10 Year Edition, black with blue interior tones and a holder that shifts from black to turquoise
Beyond the devices, the collaboration produced PRIME wraps in Iridescent Black, Progressive Pink and Shining Blue, each with the same glowing logo. There was also a jacket made from cellulose acetate recovered from more than a thousand recycled tobacco cartridges, designed around Japanese heritage and samurai armour, with a pocket built for the device. IQOS ran a Together X event in Tokyo with Aoki as guest star, and later brought him to Manila in April 2025 for a launch event at Xylo Club in The Palace BGC.
The packaging design was entered into the Red Dot Design Award, where it is listed under neon print colours, glow-in-the-dark effects and a holographic anniversary logo on a black background.
Where TEREA fits in
Here is the part that creates the confusion. Every IQOS ILUMA device, including all three Aoki editions, is built around the SMARTCORE INDUCTION SYSTEM and is designed to be used only with TEREA sticks. There is no blade inside. The stick heats from a metal element sealed within it.
So an Aoki edition device runs on TEREA by design. If you own one, TEREA is the only stick range it accepts.
What the collaboration did not include was any TEREA product. There is no Aoki flavour, no Aoki stick pack, no co-branded tobacco. Aoki’s work covered the device shells, the wraps, the packaging and the jacket. The sticks stayed exactly as they were.
What Aoki himself has said about it
Aoki has consistently framed the partnership around design and innovation rather than product use. On the announcement, he said “one of my favorite touches is that it’s glow in the dark,” which tells you where his interest sat.
He has also described the design brief in his own terms: the colours and the glow were meant to carry the energy of one of his shows into an object people hold. He talked about the recycled jacket as the piece he was most personally involved with, because it let him work across design and sustainability at the same time.
This is worth knowing if you came here expecting a celebrity endorsement. Aoki is a design partner and a public face for the anniversary. He is not presented by IQOS as a user, and he has not presented himself as one either. He has also spoken publicly for years about not drinking alcohol, a position he took after the death of his friend DJ AM in 2009.
Does the Aoki edition change how TEREA tastes?
It does not. The limited edition is cosmetic. The heating technology, temperature and session length are identical to a standard ILUMA of the same model. A TEREA stick behaves the same way in an Aoki PRIME as it does in a regular PRIME.
If you want a different taste, that comes from the TEREA variant you choose, not from the device shell.
Can you still buy the Aoki edition?
It was sold as a limited run, and official stock has been gone in most markets for some time. Some countries sold it only through the IQOS website and IQOS stores, with pre-order gifts such as a carry case carrying Aoki’s neon signature.
Units still circulate through resellers and heated tobacco specialists, though availability changes constantly and varies by country. If you find one, check that it is a genuine ILUMA unit and that the TEREA supply you buy alongside it is authentic.
Frequently asked questions
Does Steve Aoki smoke or use IQOS?
There is no public record of Steve Aoki using IQOS, TEREA or any nicotine product. In an interview about the collaboration he was described as a non-nicotine user and did not dispute it. He explained his involvement in terms of design work and the idea of a smoke-free environment at venues.
Is there a Steve Aoki TEREA flavour?
No. The collaboration produced devices, wraps, packaging and a recycled jacket. No TEREA stick was ever released under the Aoki name. Any listing claiming an Aoki branded TEREA flavour is not an official IQOS product, and you should treat that seller with caution.
Which TEREA sticks work with the IQOS ILUMA x Steve Aoki edition?
All of them. The Aoki edition is a standard ILUMA, ILUMA ONE or ILUMA PRIME with a limited edition finish, so the full TEREA range is compatible. Older HEETS sticks are not, because ILUMA devices heat from inside the stick rather than with a blade.
Why did IQOS choose Steve Aoki?
IQOS wanted a design partner for its ten year milestone and picked Aoki for his work across music, fashion and his own brands. He runs a record label and a clothing line, and the company gave him control over the colours, the glow effect and the jacket concept.
When did the Steve Aoki IQOS collaboration launch?
IQOS announced it in late 2024 for the brand’s tenth anniversary, starting with the devices, the recycled jacket and a Together X event in Tokyo. Individual markets launched at different times through 2025, including a Philippines event with Aoki in April 2025.
IQOS ILUMA and TEREA are products intended for adult nicotine users only. They contain nicotine, which is addictive.