Last updated: November 6, 2023
Regulated Contents in Cigarettes
Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?
Ministry of Health
Agency for Technical Regulations
The law prohibits the use of certain substances in the production of tobacco products.
Are cigarette emissions regulated?
Ministry of Health
Agency for Technical Regulations
The maximum allowable emissions levels per cigarette is: nicotine - 1.0mg; carbon monoxide - 10mg; and tar – 10mg for filtered cigarettes and 16mg for unfiltered cigarettes.
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 use of certain substances in the production of tobacco products. Sugars and sweeteners are not among these substances; therefore, they are allowed.
To align with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines, the law or regulations 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)
The law prohibits the use of certain substances in the production of tobacco products. Menthol and spearmint are not among these substances; therefore, menthol and spearmint are allowed. However, the use of “Herb of the pulegium mint (flea mint) (Нerba Pulegii)” is prohibited. Therefore, the regulatory status code “Some Restrictions” is given.
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 including menthol and spearmint, in addition to mint, in cigarettes.
Spices and herbs (excluding mint)
Examples include: cinnamon and ginger.
The law prohibits the use of certain substances in the production of tobacco products, including tansy herb, rue herb, and vanilla leaf. Other spices and herbs are not included in the list and are allowed. Therefore, the regulatory status code “Some Restrictions” is given.
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, including all 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 use of certain substances in the production of tobacco products, including the following other flavorings that are not listed above: Wood stalk of the woody nightshade (Stipites Dulcamarae); Wood of the camphor tree (Lignum Camphorae); Rootstalk of the common polypody (Rhizoma Poiypodii); Wood of the quassia (Lignum Quassiae); Soap bark (Cortex Quillaja); Stems, leaves, and bark of sassafras (Stipes, Folium, Cortex Sassafratis); Yellow sweet clover (Millilotus officinalis); Tonka bean (Semen Toncae); Woodruff (Asperula odorata).
The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that it regulates ingredients used to increase palatability, including other flavorings (as stated in the above paragraph), in cigarettes.
Ingredients that facilitate nicotine uptake
Examples include: ammonia.
The law does not regulate ingredients used to facilitate nicotine uptake. 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 use of substances in tobacco products that give the impression that a tobacco product is superior or leads to a reduction in risks to health.
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 use of substances in tobacco products that are associated with energy or vitality, including caffeine, taurine and guarana.
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.
Substances which possess properties for coloring emitted tobacco smoke
The law prohibits the use of substances in tobacco products that possess properties for coloring emitted tobacco smoke.
Substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproductive functions in fire-safe form
The law prohibits the use of substances in tobacco products that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproductive functions in fire-safe form.
