Last updated: July 28, 2023
Regulated Contents in Cigarettes
Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?
ERIS (Entidade Reguladora Independente da Saúde)
The law prohibits tobacco products with additives to enhance flavor, add color, confer nutritional benefits, or associated with stimulants; as well as fruits and vegetables, sweeteners (other than to replace sugar lost during processing), spices and herbs, and additives with carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic properties, and other specified properties.
Are cigarette emissions regulated?
ERIS (Entidade Reguladora Independente da Saúde)
Emission levels from cigarettes imported into, placed on the market, or manufactured in Cabo Verde must not be greater than:
a) 10 mg of tar per cigarette;
b) 1 mg of nicotine per cigarette; or
c) 10 mg of carbon monoxide per cigarette.
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, and sale of tobacco products containing sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, honey, molasses, or any other substance other than sugar that can confer a sweet odor or flavor. Sugar is permitted only to replace the sugar content originally present in the tobacco leaf that is lost during the curing process.
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, and sale of tobacco products containing substances which have flavoring properties, including “processing aids to enhance flavoring” and “spices, aromatic herbs, or any substance that can confer their odor or flavor.” This is interpreted to include menthol, mint and spearmint.
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, and sale of tobacco products containing substances which have flavoring properties, including “processing aids to enhance flavoring” and “spices, aromatic herbs, or any substance that can confer their odor or flavor.”
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, and sale of tobacco products containing substances which have flavoring properties including “processing aids to enhance flavoring”.
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, and sale of tobacco products containing ammonia and all of its compounds and derivatives.
The law furthers FCTC Arts. 5.2 and 9 in that it regulates ingredients in cigarettes 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, and sale of tobacco products containing “additives with nutritional properties, including amino acids, vitamins, essential fatty acids, and minerals, except those that are proven to be essential for manufacturing tobacco-based products” and “fruits, vegetables, or any products originated from processing fruits and vegetables, except for activated charcoal and starch”.
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, and sale of tobacco products containing additives associated with alleged stimulant or reinvigorating properties, including guarana, taurine, caffeine, and glucuronolactone.
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.
Additives that confer color on the product or emissions, and pigments or dyes
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, and sale of tobacco products containing additives that confer color on the product or emissions, and pigments or dyes.
Additives that, in the form without combustion, have carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic properties
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, and sale of tobacco products containing additives that, in the form without combustion, have carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic properties.
Ameliorants
The law prohibits the manufacture, import, and sale of tobacco products containing ameliorants.
