Mandatory Disclosure of Harmful Tobacco Ingredients Starting Next Year

Mandatory Testing of Harmful Substances in Cigarettes Every Two Years
Information to Be Disclosed on Ministry Website

From next year, harmful substances in cigarettes will be mandatorily disclosed.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 6th that they have publicly notified the draft enforcement decree and enforcement rules of the "Tobacco Harmful Substances Management Act," which stipulate detailed procedures for testing and disclosing harmful substances in cigarettes.

This draft enforcement decree and enforcement rules were prepared ahead of the enforcement of the "Tobacco Harmful Substances Management Act," enacted in October 2023 and set to take effect on November 1 of this year. ▲ Testing of harmful substances in cigarettes ▲Scope and timing of disclosure of harmful substance information in cigarettes ▲Designation and management of testing institutions ▲Formation and operation of the Tobacco Harmful Substances Management Policy Committee ▲and establishment of plans for systematic management of harmful substances in cigarettes are the main points stipulated.

First, harmful substance testing in cigarettes will be conducted every two years and is expected to be disclosed on the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s website. Tobacco manufacturers and importers must request harmful substance testing for cigarettes on sale by June 30 of the relevant year every two years. Tobacco manufacturers, etc., must submit the test results to the Minister of Food and Drug Safety within 15 days from the date of issuance of the test report. However, for newly launched cigarettes, harmful substance testing can be requested from a testing institution within one month after the sales start date.

Based on the submitted test results, the Minister of Food and Drug Safety will disclose information on harmful substances in cigarettes on sale, as well as information on toxicity, carcinogenicity, and other effects on the human body for each harmful substance, on the Ministry’s website by December 31 every year.

Additionally, a "Tobacco Harmful Substances Management Policy Committee" will be operated to deliberate and decide on matters such as the scope and method of disclosure of harmful substance information in cigarettes and the establishment of basic and implementation plans. Procedures and methods for establishing a "basic plan (5 years)" and an "implementation plan (1 year)" to protect public health from tobacco hazards, including the direction of tobacco harmful substance management policies, investigation and research on tobacco harmful substances, and public awareness campaigns on tobacco harm, will also be prepared.

Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, stated, "Analyzing and disclosing harmful substances in cigarettes will provide an opportunity to accurately inform the public about the risks of tobacco," and added, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare will link the analysis results of harmful substances with smoking cessation policies to provide smoking prevention and cessation support services that raise public awareness."

Oh Yu-kyung, Commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, said, "It is significant that harmful substance information in cigarettes, which has not been accurately known until now, will be tested and disclosed to the public," and added, "The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will do its best to test and transparently disclose harmful substances in cigarettes based on scientific expertise to guarantee the public’s right to know and protect public health."