Last updated: January 31, 2025
Regulated Contents in Cigarettes
Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
The Tobacco Act authorizes regulations on ingredients of cigarettes. The Tobacco Regulations require compliance with EU Directive 2014/40, which prohibits the use of additives that give a characterizing flavor, as well as other additives.
Are cigarette emissions regulated?
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
The emission levels from cigarettes may not exceed: 10 mg of tar per cigarette; 1 mg of nicotine per cigarette; and 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 marketing of tobacco products with a characterizing flavor, which includes cigarettes with added sugars and sweeteners. However, the EU Directive clarifies the use of sugar to replace sugar that is lost during the curing process is allowed, as long as they do not result in a characterizing flavor. Therefore, the regulatory status “Some Restrictions” 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 marketing of tobacco products with a characterizing flavor, which includes cigarettes with menthol, mint or spearmint additives.
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 marketing of tobacco products with a characterizing flavor, which includes cigarettes with spices and herbs additives.
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 in cigarettes.
Other flavorings (not covered above)
Includes fruit flavorings. Examples of flavoring substances include benzaldehyde, maltol and vanillin.
The law prohibits the marketing of tobacco products with a characterizing flavor, which includes cigarettes with other flavorings (not covered above).
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 placing on the market of cigarettes with additives that facilitate inhalation or nicotine uptake.
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 placing on the market of cigarettes with vitamins or other additives that create the impression that a tobacco product has a health benefit or presents reduced health risks.
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 placing on the market of cigarettes with caffeine or taurine or other additives and stimulant compounds 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.
Additives with toxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity or reprotoxicity effects
The law prohibits the placing on the market of tobacco products containing additives in quantities which, when consumed, significantly or measurably increase the toxic or addictive effects or the carcinogenicity, mutagenicity or reprotoxicity of a tobacco product.
