Last updated: February 2, 2021

Regulated Contents in Cigarettes

Regulatory Authority

Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?

Yes
Regulatory Authority

Health Board

Analysis

The Tobacco Act regulates the contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes, as described in Sec. 8 of the law.

Are cigarette emissions regulated?

Yes
Regulatory Authority

Health Board

Analysis

Cigarettes emissions may not exceed the following levels: 10 mg of tar per cigarette; 1 mg of nicotine per cigarette; 10 mg of carbon monoxide per cigarette.

Status of Regulated Ingredients in 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.

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits cigarettes that have a “characterising flavour,” which is defined as a clearly noticeable taste or smell other than one of tobacco, resulting from an additive or a combination of additives which is noticeable before or during the consumption of the tobacco product. Therefore, the use of sugars and sweeteners that result in a characterizing flavor is prohibited and the regulatory status code “Banned” 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 sugars and sweeteners in cigarettes.

Menthol, mint or spearmint (including analogues and derivatives)

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits cigarettes that have a “characterising flavour,” which is defined as a clearly noticeable taste or smell other than one of tobacco, resulting from an additive or a combination of additives which is noticeable before or during the consumption of the tobacco product. Therefore, the use of menthol, mint, and spearmint in cigarettes is 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 cigarettes.

Spices and herbs (excluding mint)

Examples include: cinnamon and ginger.

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits cigarettes that have a “characterising flavour,” which is defined as a clearly noticeable taste or smell other than one of tobacco, resulting from an additive or a combination of additives which is noticeable before or during the consumption of the tobacco product. Therefore, the use of spices and herbs in cigarettes is 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 cigarettes.

Other flavorings (not covered above)

Includes fruit flavorings. Examples of flavoring substances include benzaldehyde, maltol and vanillin.

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits cigarettes that have a “characterising flavour,” which is defined as a clearly noticeable taste or smell other than one of tobacco, resulting from an additive or a combination of additives which is noticeable before or during the consumption of the tobacco product. Therefore, the use of other flavorings (not covered above) in cigarettes is 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.

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits in tobacco products “additives that facilitate inhalation or nicotine uptake.”

The law furthers 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.

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits in tobacco products “vitamins or other additives that create the impression that a tobacco product has a health benefit or presents reduced 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.

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits in tobacco products “caffeine, taurine or other additives and stimulant compounds that are 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 coloring properties for emissions

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits in tobacco products additives having coloring properties for emissions.

Additives that have CMR properties in unburnt form

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits in tobacco products additives that have CMR properties in unburnt form.

Technical features allowing modification of the taste or smell of tobacco products or their smoke intensity

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits the use in cigarettes or roll-your-own tobacco of any technical features allowing modification of the taste or smell of the tobacco product or its smoke intensity.

Filters, papers, or capsules containing tobacco or nicotine

Banned
Analysis

The law prohibits the use in cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco of filters, papers, or capsules containing tobacco or nicotine.