Last updated: November 22, 2022
Regulated Contents in Cigarettes
Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?
Minister of Health
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, or sale of tobacco products including cigarettes that:
- have a characterizing flavor or are represented, packaged, or labeled as having a characterizing flavor;
- have flavoring in any component or any technical feature allowing modification of the smell, taste or its smoke intensity;
- contains one or more additives that create the impression of energy or vitality, health benefits, or reduced health risks; or
- contains an additive having coloring properties for emissions or for a component, other than when used in certain circumstances for trademarks, whitening plug wrap paper, and tipping paper.
Are cigarette emissions regulated?
Minister of Health
The law authorizes the Minister of Health to regulate the emissions of tobacco products; however, such regulations have not yet been issued.
Sugars and sweeteners (other than those added to replace sugars lost during the curing process)
Examples of sugars and sweeteners include: glucose, molasses, honey and sorbitol.
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, and sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, that have a “characterizing flavour” which is defined as a taste or smell other than one of tobacco, resulting from a natural or artificial additive or a combination of additives which is noticeable before or during the consumption of the tobacco product. Therefore, the use of sugars and sweeteners that result in a characterizing flavor is prohibited and the regulatory status code “Banned” is given.
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that it regulates ingredients used to increase palatability such as sugars and sweeteners in cigarettes.
Menthol, mint or spearmint (including analogues and derivatives)
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, and sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, that have a “characterizing flavour” which is defined as a taste or smell other than one of tobacco, resulting from a natural or artificial additive or a combination of additives which is noticeable before or during the consumption of the tobacco product, including menthol. Therefore, the use of menthol, mint, and spearmint in cigarettes is banned.
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that it regulates ingredients used to increase palatability such as menthol, mint, or spearmint in cigarettes.
Spices and herbs (excluding mint)
Examples include: cinnamon and ginger.
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, and sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, that have a “characterizing flavour” which is defined as a taste or smell other than one of tobacco, resulting from a natural or artificial additive or a combination of additives which is noticeable before or during the consumption of the tobacco product, including spices and herbs. Therefore, the use of spices and herbs (excluding mint) in cigarettes is banned.
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that it regulates ingredients used to increase palatability such as spices and herbs (excluding mint) in cigarettes.
Other flavorings (not covered above)
Includes fruit flavorings. Examples of flavoring substances include benzaldehyde, maltol and vanillin.
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, and sale of prohibits tobacco products, including cigarettes, that have a “characterizing flavour” which is defined as a taste or smell other than one of tobacco, resulting from a natural or artificial additive or a combination of additives which is noticeable before or during the consumption of the tobacco product, including fruit, alcohol, candy, chocolate or vanilla. Therefore, the use of other flavorings (not covered above) in cigarettes is banned.
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that it regulates ingredients used to increase palatability such as other flavorings (not covered above) in cigarettes.
Ingredients that facilitate nicotine uptake
Examples include: ammonia.
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, and sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, with certain additives. However, ingredients that facilitate nicotine uptake, including ammonia, are not regulated by the law. Therefore, these ingredients are allowed.
To align with FCTC Arts. 5.2 and 9, the law should regulate ingredients that facilitate nicotine uptake, such as ammonia.
Ingredients which may create an impression of health benefits
Examples include: vitamins, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, fruit and vegetables (and products resulting from their processing such as fruit juices), amino acids, such as cysteine and tryptophan, and essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6.
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, and sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, that contain one or more additives with properties that give the impression of a health benefit or reduced health risk.
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that the law prohibits the use of ingredients in cigarettes that may create an impression of health benefits.
Ingredients associated with energy and vitality
Examples include: caffeine, guarana, taurine and glucuronolactone.
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, and sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, that contain one or more additives with properties that are associated with energy and vitality.
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that the law prohibits the use of ingredients in cigarettes that are associated with energy and vitality.
Coloring properties
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, and sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, that contain coloring properties for emissions or for a component, except if used for trademark, whitening white plug paper, or browning, bronzing, or making a cork pattern on the tipping paper.
To more fully align with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines, the law should prohibit all coloring agents including imitation cork patterns and tipping paper. Coloring properties may be used for tax-related markings or for health warnings and messages.
Flavorings in components or technical features that allow the modification of smell, taste, or smoke intensity
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution at wholesale, and sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, that contain flavorings in any of their components or technical features allowing for the modification of the smell, taste, or smoke intensity of the product concerned.
