Last updated: June 30, 2020
Regulated Contents in Cigarettes
Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?
Ministry of Health and Social Action
Law No. 2014-14 requires tobacco products to conform to regulatory standards. Decree 2016-1008 provides those regulatory standards and prohibits the import, distribution and sale of tobacco products that contain certain agents, additives and ingredients.
Are cigarette emissions regulated?
Ministry of Health and Social Action
Law No. 2014-14 requires tobacco products to conform to regulatory standards, which could include cigarette emissions. However, there are no regulatory standards regulating cigarette emissions.
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 import, distribution or sale of any tobacco product containing any "characteristic aromatic agent" or "any aromatic agent . . . that makes it possible to modify the scent or flavor of a tobacco product." Therefore, cigarettes containing "sugars and sweeteners" are prohibited.
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 import, distribution or sale of any tobacco product containing any "characteristic aromatic agent" or "any aromatic agent . . . that makes it possible to modify the scent or flavor of a tobacco product." Therefore, cigarettes containing menthol and mint or spearmint (which are aromatic plants) are 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 tobacco products.
Spices and herbs (excluding mint)
Examples include: cinnamon and ginger.
The law prohibits the import, distribution or sale of any tobacco product containing any "characteristic aromatic agent" or "any aromatic agent . . . that makes it possible to modify the scent or flavor of a tobacco product." Therefore, cigarettes containing spices and herbs are 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 tobacco products.
Other flavorings (not covered above)
Includes fruit flavorings. Examples of flavoring substances include benzaldehyde, maltol and vanillin.
The law prohibits the import, distribution or sale of any tobacco product containing any "characteristic aromatic agent" or "any aromatic agent . . . that makes it possible to modify the scent or flavor of a tobacco product." A "characteristic aromatic agent" is defined as "a taste or scent, other than that of the tobacco, coming from an additive or a combination of natural or artificial additives, particularly those derived from fruits, spices, aromatic plants, alcohol, sweetening elements, menthol, chocolate or vanilla." Therefore, cigarettes containing other flavorings (not covered above) are 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 does not regulate, nor grant any authority to regulate, contents and ingredients. Therefore, the use of ingredients in cigarettes that facilitate nicotine uptake is allowed.
To further 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 import, distribution or sale of any tobacco product containing "any additive with properties associated with, or likely to be associated with, a beneficial effect on health, such as vitamins, extracts of fruits and vegetables and essential fatty acids."
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 import, distribution or sale of any tobacco product containing "any ingredient associated with energy and vitality, notably stimulant components such as caffeine and taurine."
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.
