Fire safety requirements for cigarettes
In 2008 the European Union adopted decision 2008/264/EC on the fire safety requirements to be met by European standards for cigarettes under the Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC.
- From November 2011, all cigarettes manufactured and sold in the EU were required to be compliant with the standard that no more than 25 % of a batch of cigarette specimens to be tested shall burn through their whole length.
- Reduced ignition propensity cigarettes have ultra-thin concentric bands or “speed bumps” to restrict oxygen access to the burning end of the cigarette, causing the cigarette to go out if not “puffed” by the smoker, thus reducing the risk of fires.
Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016
Regulation transposing 2014 EU Tobacco Products Directive into UK law on packaging and labelling, product contents, and advertising and sponsorship; only provision on product contents included below. Amended by future legislation including The Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 following UK’s EU exit; amendments included below. See also Impact Assessment and Explanatory Memorandum for more information and background.- Made 18 April 2016, UK wide but Scotland currently considering whether to go further; came into force 20 May 2016 with a sell through period to 21 May 2017.
- Bans characterising flavours in cigarettes and hand rolled tobacco.
- Retains limits on cigarette tar (10 mg), nicotine (1mg), and carbon monoxide (10mg) emissions.
- Bans vitamins and additives which imply reduced health risk, act as stimulants, act as colourants, aid nicotine uptake, or increase toxicity, from all tobacco products.
- Regulates e-cigarettes: limits permitted amounts of e-liquid for sale and nicotine content in e-liquid; sets design standards for e-cigarettes and refills, and bans some additives and extra ingredients from e-liquids.
- Retains prohibition of supply of tobacco for oral use unless it is for inhaling or chewing.
The Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
Amends UK legislation Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002, Tobacco Advertising and Promotion (Brandsharing) Regulations 2004, The Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Regulations 2015, The Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015, and Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 and amends or repeals EU legislation 2015/1842, 2016/779, 2015/2183, 2015/2186, and 2016/786 – all concerning tobacco packaging and labelling, product contents and flavours, and advertising and promotion – in light of UK’s EU exit; only provisions on product contents and flavours included below.
- Made 18 April 2016, UK wide but Scotland currently considering whether to go further; came into force 20 May 2016 with a sell through period to 21 May 2017.
- Amends TRPR 2016 in light of changes to obligations under EU Tobacco Products Directive. Specifically, transfers powers from EU Commission to UK Government to:
- Reduce maximum emission levels of cigarettes and change how levels are measured.
- Determine whether a tobacco product has a characterising flavour.
- Determine whether a tobacco product contains banned additives and/or a harmful level of additives.