Taiwan considers banning 27 flavoring additives in cigarettes, but testing rules remain unresolved

Taiwan is still planning to ban 27 flavoring additives in tobacco products, but the government has yet to resolve how the restrictions would be tested and enforced.

Shen Ching-fen, director-general of the Health Promotion Administration, said the list of 27 additives targeted in the second draft notice remains unchanged. However, the plan’s implementation depends on testing capacity, technical methods, standards and decision thresholds that are still being developed.

The issue follows amendments to Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act in 2023. The revised law prohibits tobacco products from using additives that the central authorities officially designate as banned.

Shen said countries do not regulate tobacco flavoring additives in exactly the same way. The European Union and Canada, for example, use different approaches. Taiwan therefore needs to adapt international rules and experience to its own testing capacity and the techniques it can establish domestically.

Authorities are also working on how to measure the additives and determine the relevant thresholds. Shen said there had been “no new progress” so far and did not clearly promise further developments by the end of the year. She said officials would continue working toward that goal and provide an update if there was progress.

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no new progress