Last updated: May 20, 2025
Regulated Contents in Cigarettes
Are contents and/or ingredients of cigarettes regulated?
Office for Chemical Substance Affairs
The law regulates the contents and ingredients of cigarettes.
Are cigarette emissions regulated?
Office for Chemical Substance Affairs
The law set out the following maximum levels of cigarette emissions: 1) for tar – 10 mg per cigarette, 2) for nicotine – 1 mg per cigarette, and 3) for carbon monoxide – 10 mg per cigarette.
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 tobacco products that have a “characteristics aroma,” which includes products having the smell or taste of sweeteners. Accordingly, sugars and sweeteners that produce a characterizing flavor are prohibited.
The law further states that this prohibition does not apply “to additives necessary in the manufacture of tobacco products, in particular sugar, which replaces sugar lost during the drying process, if the use of these additives does not give the product a characteristic flavor.”
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 tobacco products that have a “characteristics aroma,” which includes products having the smell or taste of fruits, spices, herbs, alcohol, sweeteners, menthol or vanilla. Therefore, the use of menthol, mint and spearmint 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.
The law prohibits tobacco products that have a “characteristics aroma,” which includes products having the smell or taste of fruits, spices, herbs, alcohol, sweeteners, menthol or vanilla. Therefore, the use of spices and herbs 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.
The law prohibits tobacco products that have a “characteristics aroma,” which includes products having the smell or taste of fruits, spices, herbs, alcohol, sweeteners, menthol or vanilla. Therefore, the use of other flavorings (not covered above) 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.
The law prohibits the use of ingredients that facilitate the inhalation or absorption of nicotine. The law also prohibits the use of additives that increase the additive properties of nicotine.
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.
The law prohibits the use of vitamins or other additives which give the impression that the tobacco product is beneficial to health or entails a reduced 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 use of caffeine or taurine, or other additives and stimulants 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 having coloring properties for the substances emitted
The law prohibits the use of additives having coloring properties for the substances emitted.
Additives which, in unburned form, have CMR properties
The law prohibits the use of additives which, in unburned form, have CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to human reproduction) properties.
Additives that increase addictive properties, toxicity or CMR properties during consumption
The law prohibits the use of additives in such quantities or concentrations that they increase significantly or measurably addictive properties, toxicity or CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to human reproduction) properties of a tobacco product at the stage of consumption.
