New Prohibitions on Cigarette Paper

Details of the Regulation

This Communique, published by the Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı, establishes the methods and fundamental principles for determining the compliance of cigarette paper with technical regulations. The Communique covers all cigarette paper placed on the domestic market in Türkiye, while excluding products manufactured for export. The published procedures and principles are based on the 2016 dated Regulation on the Procedures and Principles Regarding the Production and Trade of Cigarette Paper. The Communique explains basic definitions such as flavoring agent, information message, and general warning.

Technical compliance is determined by examining whether the inputs declared for the product type and the packaging placed on the market comply with the relevant Regulation and the provisions of this Communique. The use of flavoring agents, sugar, and/or sweeteners in cigarette paper is strictly prohibited. Coloring agents other than those used for whitening may not be used. The use of inputs such as Benzene, Methylene chloride, Tetrachloroethylene, Glyoxal, Mineral oil, and light/heavy naphthenic substances treated with Hydrogen, which are listed in Annex-1, is also completely prohibited. The Ministry has the authority to amend the list of prohibited inputs or add new inputs, taking scientific developments into account.

Comprehensive regulations have also been introduced for packaging. The outer and inner surface color of individual packages and groups must be Pantone 448 C Mat, and they must be plain and smooth, contain no embossing or patterns, and have no windows. Products must bear mandatory statements such as the brand, distinctive designation, quantity information, title of the manufacturer/importer, production date, barcode, the warning “Sales to persons under 18 years of age are punishable by imprisonment,” the statement “Manufactured/imported with the permission of the Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı,” and information regarding the “ALO 171 Cigarette Quitline.” Health warnings (the general warning: “Smoking tobacco kills - quit immediately” and the information message: “Tobacco smoke contains more than 70 substances known to cause cancer”) must cover at least sixty-five percent of the relevant surface of the package, be printed in dark black Helvetica typeface on a white background, and be non-removable. The size, placement, and content of brands and distinctive designations are also subject to certain restrictions, and statements that mislead or encourage consumers or provide an economic advantage are prohibited.

Under the transitional provisions, applications to update the market-placement conformity documents in order to comply with this Communique must be submitted no later than 30 October 2026. Documents that are not updated will be cancelled as of 20 February 2027. Product types that are on the market when the Communique is published but do not comply with it may be placed on the market until 20 February 2027; however, they may not remain on the market after 20 August 2027.