Last updated: July 19, 2021
Regulated Contents in Cigarettes
Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?
GCC Standardization Organization
The United Arab Emirates is a member country of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). In 2014, the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) adopted a standard on Permissible and Impermissible Tobacco Additives. The standard contains a list of permissible additives in cigarettes. It also provides a list of impermissible additives and prohibits the use of aromas or flavors produced from certain plant sources.
Are cigarette emissions regulated?
GCC Standardization Organization
The United Arab Emirates is a member country of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). In 2009, the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) adopted a standard on Cigarettes establishing maximum levels of emissions. These maximum levels are .6 milligrams per cigarette for nicotine; 10 milligrams per cigarette for tar; and 12 milligrams per cigarette for 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.
GSO 2390/2014 Appendix I contains permitted tobacco additives. Sugars and other sweeteners, including honey, maple syrup, molasses, sorbitol, and glucose are on this list. Therefore, sugars and sweeteners are permitted.
To align with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines, the law should prohibit or restrict the use of ingredients used to increase palatability such as sugars and sweeteners in cigarettes.
Menthol, mint or spearmint (including analogues and derivatives)
GSO 2390/2014 Appendix I contains permitted tobacco additives. Menthol and food-grade aromas and flavors are on this list. Therefore, menthol, mint, and spearmint are permitted.
To align with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines, the law should prohibit or restrict the use of ingredients used to increase palatability such as menthol, mint, or spearmint in cigarettes.
Spices and herbs (excluding mint)
Examples include: cinnamon and ginger.
GSO 2390/2014 Appendix I contains permitted tobacco additives. Appendix II contains prohibited tobacco additives. Spices and food-grade aromas and flavors on are the Appendix I list and, therefore, are permitted generally. However, some herbs, including Herba Pulegii, Herba Tanaceti, and Herba Rutae, are on Appendix II and, therefore, prohibited. As a result, the regulatory status code “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 spices and herbs (excluding mint) in cigarettes.
Other flavorings (not covered above)
Includes fruit flavorings. Examples of flavoring substances include benzaldehyde, maltol and vanillin.
GSO 2390/2014 Schedule I contains permitted tobacco additives. Appendix II contains prohibited tobacco additives. Various other flavorings are listed on both Appendix I and Appendix II. Therefore, the regulatory status code “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 other flavorings (not covered above) in cigarettes.
Ingredients that facilitate nicotine uptake
Examples include: ammonia.
GSO 2390/2014 Appendix I contains permitted tobacco additives. Appendix II contains prohibited tobacco additives. Ammonia and other ingredients used to facilitate nicotine uptake are not on either list. Therefore, we interpret the law as allowing the use of ingredients in cigarettes that facilitate nicotine uptake.
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.
GSO 2390/2014 Appendix I contains permitted tobacco additives. “Food-grade aromas and flavors,” and “fruits, dried fruits, fruit pulps, fruit juices, concentrated fruit juices, and fruit syrups” are on this list. Therefore, ingredients that may create an impression of health benefits are permitted.
To align with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines, the law should prohibit 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.
GSO 2390/2014 Appendix I contains permitted tobacco additives. “Food-grade aromas and flavors,” “coffee extract,” and “fruits” are on this list and, therefore, caffeine and guarana (a fruit) are permitted. Taurine (an amino acid) and glucuronolactone (a component of connective tissue) are not on Appendix I permitted additives, nor are they on Appendix II prohibited additives. Therefore, we interpret the law as allowing these additives.
To align with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines, the law should prohibit the use of ingredients in cigarettes that are associated with energy and vitality.
Additional specified additives
The following aromas and flavors are not permitted in tobacco products: Acidum agaricinicum, Oleum Betulae empyreumaticum, bitter almond oil associated with or containing hydrocyanic acid, Oleum Sassfras, Oleum Juniperi empyreumaticum, Oleum camphorae, Camphor, Coumarin, Safrole, and Thujone.
In addition, aromas and flavors produced from the following are not allowed: Stipites Dulcamarae, Lignum Camphorae, Rhizoma Polypodii, Rhizoma Filicis dulcis, Herba Pulegii, Lignum Quassiae, Cortex Quilaiae, Herba Tanaceti, and Herba Rutae.
