View source for TNCO ceilings

The '''Tar, Nicotine and Carbon monoxide ceilings''' (or TNCO ceilings) are the average upper limits on [[Tar (tobacco residue)|total aerosol residue]], [[nicotine]] and [[carbon monoxide]] contents of a [[cigarette]], as measured on a smoking machine and according to a given set of [[ISO standard]]s.<ref>ISO methods 3308 (general conditions), 4387 (tar), 8454 (CO) and 10315 (nicotine).</ref> Because these refer to machine-generated yields rather than the average smoker's intake, these values have often been decried as misleading.<ref>WHO Scientific Advisory Committee on Tobacco Product Regulation. Recommendation on Health Claims Derived from ISO/FTC Method to Measure Cigarette Yield. 2002</ref>

A growing number of countries are nevertheless using such values as upper yield limitations for the [[cigarette]]s marketed under their jurisdiction.

==Africa==
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!Country!!Tar!!Nicotine!!CO!!As of
|-
|{{flag|Democratic Republic of the Congo}}||15||align="center"|1.5||-||2007 07
|-
|{{flag|Egypt}}||15||align="center"|2||-||2005 01
|-
|{{flag|Libya}}||12||align="center"|0.8||-||&nbsp;
|-
|{{flag|South Africa}}||12||align="center"|1.2||-||2006 06
|-
|}
<small>(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs.)</small>

Most countries on the continent do not impose maximum values for either tar, nicotine or CO, but [[Burkina Faso]], [[Benin]], [[Cape Verde]], [[Morocco]] nevertheless demand that yield values be reported on pack.

==Americas==
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!Country!!Tar!!Nicotine!!CO!!As of
|-
|{{flag|Honduras}}||14||align="center"|1.1||-||1995 11
|-
|{{flag|Brazil}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2001 12
|-
|}
<small>(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs.)</small>

Whereas [[Ecuador]] prohibits the indication of TNCO yields, [[Canada]], [[El Salvador]], [[Jamaica]], [[Mexico]], [[Panama]] and [[Peru]] require these values to be indicated without mandating upper limits. Canada demands values measured both with ISO standards and [[Health Canada]]'s Intensive Method, as well as the yields for [[formaldehyde]], [[hydrogen cyanide]] and [[benzene]].

==Asia & Pacific==

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!Country!!Tar!!Nicotine!!CO!!As of
|-
|{{flag|Brunei}}||15||align="center"|1.3||-||2008 02
|-
|{{flag|China}}||11||align="center"|-||-||2013 01
|-
|{{flag|Hong Kong}}||17||align="center"|-||-||1999 07
|-
|{{flag|Macau}}||20||align="center"|1.5||-||1996 08
|-
|{{flag|Malaysia}}||10||align="center"|1.0||10||1993 05
|-
|{{flag|Mongolia}}||15||align="center"|1.4||-||-
|-
|{{flag|South Korea}}||8||align="center"|0.7||-||-
|-
|{{flag|Singapore}}||10||align="center"|1.0||-||2013 03
|-
|{{flag|Taiwan}}||12||align="center"|1.2||-||2007 07
|-
|{{flag|Vietnam}}||16||align="center"|2.2||-||2007 03<ref>Tar/Nicotine ceilings will be gradually lowered in two-year intervals from 22/2 mg on March 17, 2008, to 16/1.4 mg on March 17, 2014</ref>
|-
|}
<small>(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs (see exceptions below).)</small>

Although many countries in the region do not impose formal ceilings, some still request that tar and nicotine yield values be indicated on the pack ([[India]], [[Indonesia]], [[Japan]]). In [[Brunei]], [[Malaysia]] and [[Vietnam]], on the other hand, measured values must only be reported to the government.


HARA<BE

==Eastern Europe and former CIS==

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!Country!!Tar!!Nicotine!!CO!!As of
|-
|{{flag|Albania}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2007 05
|-
|{{flag|Armenia}}||14<ref name="kaz"/>||align="center"|1.2||-||2005 12
|-
|{{flag|Belarus}}||14||align="center"|1.2||-||-
|-
|{{flag|Croatia}}||12||align="center"|-||-||-
|-
|{{flag|Georgia}}||10||align="center"|1||-||2005 04
|-
|{{flag|Kazakhstan}}||14<ref name="kaz">For filter cigarettes. Non filter: 16 mg tar and 1.3 mg nicotine</ref>||align="center"|1.2||-||2003 07
|-
|{{flag|Kyrgyzstan}}||14<ref name="kaz" />||align="center"|1.2||-||
|-
|{{flag|Macedonia}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2008 03
|-
|{{flag|Moldova}}||15||align="center"|1.2||-||2008 01<ref>According to the Ministry of Agriculture Draft Law, the Max. Yield of Tar/Nicotine/CO for filter cigarettes suggested to be as follows: as of 01.01.2008 - 15/1,2 (+CO regulated); as of 01.01.2010 - 12/1,0/14; as of 01.01.2012 - 10/1,0/10 respectively.</ref>
|-
|{{flag|Montenegro}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 02
|-
|{{flag|Russia}}||10||align="center"|1||10|| 2010 06
|-
|{{flag|Serbia}}||14<ref>As of January 2008 respective T/N/CO ceilings will be 12.0, 1.3, 13.0; as of January 2009 10.0, 1.2, 12.0; as of January 2010 10.0, 1.1, 11.0; as of January 2011 10.0, 1.0, 10.0.</ref>||align="center"|1.4||14||2007 01
|-
|{{flag|Turkmenistan}}||16||align="center"|1.4||-||-
|-
|{{flag|Ukraine}}||15<ref>Ceiling values in Ukraine to be lowered to 12 mg and 1.2 mg/cigarette for tar and nicotine, respectively, as of Jan. 1, 2009</ref>||align="center"|1.3||-||1997 07
|-
|{{flag|Uzbekistan}}||16||align="center"|1.4||-||-
|-
|}
<small>(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs.)</small>

While [[Kosovo]] should soon enact regulation imposing ceilings, [[Bosnia-Herzegovina]] only requires tar and nicotine yields to be indicated, without imposing maximal values.

==European Union/EFTA==

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!Country!!Tar!!Nicotine!!CO!!As of
|-
|{{flag|Austria}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Belgium}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Bulgaria}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2008 01
|-
|{{flag|Cyprus}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 05
|-
|{{flag|Czech Republic}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 05
|-
|{{flag|Denmark}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Estonia}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2006 06
|-
|{{flag|Finland}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|France}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Germany}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Greece}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2007 01
|-
|{{flag|Hungary}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 04
|-
|{{flag|Iceland}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Ireland}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2003 09
|-
|{{flag|Italy}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Latvia}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 10
|-
|{{flag|Liechtenstein}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 10
|-
|{{flag|Lithuania}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 06
|-
|{{flag|Luxembourg}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Malta}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 04
|-
|{{flag|Netherlands}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Norway}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Poland}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 03
|-
|{{flag|Portugal}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Romania}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2007 01
|-
|{{flag|Slovakia}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2006 07
|-
|{{flag|Slovenia}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Spain}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Sweden}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Switzerland}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2004 10
|-
|{{flag|United Kingdom}}||10||align="center"|1||10||2003 09
|-
|}
<small>(All values in mg/cigarette.)</small>

Current regulations are based on [[Directive (European Union)|European Union directive]] {{cite web|url= http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2001/l_194/l_19420010718en00260034.pdf |title=2001/37 }}&nbsp;{{small|(220&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]])}}. All yields must be indicated on the side of the pack with a minimum surface area of 10%, except for [[Belgium]], [[Cyprus]], [[Finland]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Malta]] (12%), [[Liechtenstein]] & [[Switzerland]] (15%) and [[Italy]] (20%).

The maximum levels have been previously limited to 15&nbsp;mg tar (1992), then to 12&nbsp;mg tar (01-1998), without maximum levels for nicotine and CO.

==Middle East==
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!Country!!Tar!!Nicotine!!CO!!As of
|-
|{{flag|Bahrain}}||10||align="center"|0.6||12||1995 01
|-
|{{flag|Jordan}}||10||align="center"|1||15||2004 01
|-
|{{flag|Kuwait}}||10||align="center"|0.6||12||1995 01
|-
|{{flag|Oman}}||10||align="center"|0.6||12||1995 01
|-
|{{flag|Palestinian Authority}}||25||align="center"|1.6||-||2005 07
|-
|{{flag|Qatar}}||10||align="center"|0.6||12||1995 01
|-
|{{flag|Saudi Arabia}}||10||align="center"|0.6||12||1995 01
|-
|{{flag|Syria}}||13||align="center"|1.1||10.5||2007 01
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}}||12||align="center"|1||10||2007 01
|-
|{{flag|UAE}}||10||align="center"|0.6||12||1995 01
|-
|{{flag|Yemen}}||12||align="center"|0.8||-||1995 01
|-
|}
<small>(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs (see exceptions below.)</small>

The [[Palestinian Authority]] and [[Yemen]] do not require tar and nicotine values to be indicated on the packs' side.

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
* [[List of smoking bans]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tnco Ceilings}}
[[Category:Tobacco control]]
[[Category:Smoking]]