This Tuesday, the Council of Ministers approved the Royal Decree that transposes the European directive that withdraws the exceptions that until now applied to heated tobacco products, in order to equate them to cigarettes. This regulation does not affect the famous vapers, which will be regulated shortly.
But what are heated tobacco products? They are devices that use a battery that allows the heating of a pressed tobacco “cigarette” with flavoring substances and other chemicals, which produces a nicotine aerosol that creates a “nicotine hit” similar to a conventional cigarette. These devices heat the tobacco to temperatures between 300-350 °C, without burning it, since combustion occurs at 800-900 °.
With this Royal Decree, the sale of heated tobacco that contains aromas is prohibited and the labeling requires warnings that it is harmful to health.
The prohibition on marketing tobacco products with a characteristic aroma or that contain flavorings in their components (such as filters, smoking papers, containers or capsules), or any other technique that allows modifying the smell, flavor of tobacco products, or intensifying the smoke from heated tobacco products. In addition, filters, papers and capsules may not contain tobacco or nicotine.
The exception to the obligations to include an informative message and combined health warnings is withdrawn. Therefore, the packaging units and outer packaging of heated tobacco products must include: photographs about the harm caused by tobacco consumption with the information message: “Tobacco smoke contains more than 70 carcinogenic substances.”
This Royal Decree will come into force within three months from its publication in the BOE.
