Last updated: January 23, 2024
Regulated Contents in Cigarettes
Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?
Central Executive Health Agency
The law prohibits the manufacture, import and sale of cigarettes:
- with a characteristic smell and/or taste;
- containing additives that create the impression that the product has health benefits or reduces health risks or poses a lower health risk;
- containing caffeine, taurine or other additives and stimulants associated with energy and/or vitality;
- containing additives that have the ability to make emissions colored;
- containing additives that have CMR properties in unburnt form;
- containing additives that facilitate nicotine uptake or the inhalation of smoke;
- containing such flavorings in any of their components that allow the modification of the smell, taste or smoke intensity of the product concerned;
- with filters, papers or capsules that contain tobacco or nicotine.
Are cigarette emissions regulated?
Central Executive Health Agency
The law prohibits the manufacture, import and sale of cigarettes in which emissions exceed 1 mg of nicotine, 10 mg of tar 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 prohibits the manufacture, import and sale of “cigarettes with a characteristic smell or taste.” Therefore, cigarettes with added sugars and sweeteners that impart a characteristics smell or taste 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 sugars and sweeteners in cigarettes.
Menthol, mint or spearmint (including analogues and derivatives)
The law prohibits the manufacture, import and sale of “cigarettes with a characteristic smell or taste.” Therefore, cigarettes with menthol, mint or spearmint 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 and spearmint.
Spices and herbs (excluding mint)
Examples include: cinnamon and ginger.
The law prohibits the manufacture, import and sale of “cigarettes with a characteristic smell or taste.” Therefore, cigarettes with spices and herbs are banned.
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that it will regulate ingredients used to increase palatability such as spices and herbs.
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 “cigarettes with a characteristic smell or taste.” Therefore, cigarettes with other flavorings 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.
Ingredients that facilitate nicotine uptake
Examples include: ammonia.
The law prohibits the manufacture, import and sale of tobacco products containing additives that facilitate the inhalation of smoke or the absorption of nicotine.
The law aligns with 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 “vitamins or other additives that give the impression that a tobacco product has health benefits or reduces health risks or poses a lower 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 and sale of tobacco products containing “caffeine, taurine or other additives and stimulants associated with energy and/or vitality.”
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that it prohibits the use of ingredients in cigarettes that are associated with energy and vitality.
Additives that have the ability to make emissions colored
The law prohibits the manufacture, import and sale of tobacco products containing “additives that have the ability to make emissions colored.”
Additives having carcinogenic, mutagenic or reproductive toxic properties in unburned form
The law prohibits the manufacture, import and sale of tobacco products containing “additives having carcinogenic, mutagenic or reproductive toxic properties in unburned form.”
Flavorings in components that allow the modification of smell, taste, or smoke intensity
The law prohibits cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco containing flavor additives in any of their components that allow the change of the smell, taste, or smoke intensity of the product concerned.
Filters, papers, or capsules containing tobacco or nicotine
The law prohibits cigarettes with filters, papers, or capsules that contain tobacco or nicotine.
