Last updated: December 3, 2021
Regulated Contents in Cigarettes
Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?
General State Administration
The law authorizes the General State Administration to regulate products for human use, including those that may involve a risk to people's health, in compliance with the principle of health promotion.
Are cigarette emissions regulated?
General State Administration
The law establishes that cigarettes marketed or manufactured in Spain may not have levels of emissions per cigarette higher than 10 mg of tar, 1 mg of nicotine, and 10 mg of carbon monoxide.
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 bans cigarettes containing "characterizing flavors," which are defined as those with distinctly noticeable smell or taste other than that of tobacco, including menthol and others that could be noticed before or during the consumption of the product. Therefore, the regulatory status code "Banned" is given.
The law notes that additives essential for the manufacture of tobacco products, such as added sugar to replace the sugar lost during the curing process, are exempted from this provision, given that they do not result in a characterizing flavor or significantly increase the toxicity or addictiveness of the product.
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 bans cigarettes containing "characterizing flavors," which are defined as those with distinctly noticeable smell or taste other than that of tobacco, including menthol and others that could be noticed before or during the consumption of the product.
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 bans cigarettes containing "characterizing flavors," which are defined as those with distinctly noticeable smell or taste other than that of tobacco, including spices, herbs and others that could be noticed before or during the consumption of the product.
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 bans cigarettes containing "characterizing flavors," which are defined as those with distinctly noticeable smell or taste other than that of tobacco, including an additive or a combination of additives, including fruits, alcohol, caramel, vanilla, among others.
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 cigarettes containing additives that facilitate that facilitate inhalation or nicotine uptake.
The law furthers FCTC Arts. 5.2 and 9 in that it bans tobacco products with additives able to facilitate nicotine uptake.
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 bans tobacco products from containing vitamins or other additives that create the impression that a tobacco product provides health benefits or reduces 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 bans tobacco products from containing caffeine, taurine, or other additives and stimulating compounds 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 that have CMR properties in unburnt form
The law bans tobacco products from containing additives that have carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic properties (CMR) in their unburnt form.
Additives that have coloring properties for emissions
The law bans tobacco products from containing additives that have coloring properties for emissions.
Filters, papers, or capsules containing tobacco or nicotine
The law prohibits cigarettes that contain tobacco or nicotine in filters, papers, or capsules.
Technical features allowing the modification of the taste or smell of tobacco products or their smoke intensity
The law prohibits the use in cigarettes of any technical features allowing modification of the taste or smell of the tobacco product or its smoke intensity.
