TNCO ceilings
The Tar, Nicotine and Carbon monoxide ceilings (or TNCO ceilings) are the average upper limits on 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 standards.[1] Because these refer to machine-generated yields rather than the average smoker's intake, these values have often been decried as misleading.[2]
A growing number of countries are nevertheless using such values as upper yield limitations for the cigarettes marketed under their jurisdiction.
Africa
| Country | Tar | Nicotine | CO | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Democratic Republic of the Congo |
15 | 1.5 | - | 2007 07 |
 Egypt |
15 | 2 | - | 2005 01 |
 Libya |
12 | 0.8 | - | |
 South Africa |
12 | 1.2 | - | 2006 06 |
(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs.)
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
| Country | Tar | Nicotine | CO | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Honduras |
14 | 1.1 | - | 1995 11 |
 Brazil |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2001 12 |
(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs.)
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
| Country | Tar | Nicotine | CO | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Brunei |
15 | 1.3 | - | 2008 02 |
 China |
11 | - | - | 2013 01 |
 Hong Kong |
17 | - | - | 1999 07 |
 Macau |
20 | 1.5 | - | 1996 08 |
 Malaysia |
10 | 1.0 | 10 | 1993 05 |
 Mongolia |
15 | 1.4 | - | - |
 South Korea |
8 | 0.7 | - | - |
 Singapore |
10 | 1.0 | - | 2013 03 |
 Taiwan |
12 | 1.2 | - | 2007 07 |
 Vietnam |
16 | 2.2 | - | 2007 03[3] |
(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs (see exceptions below).)
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
| Country | Tar | Nicotine | CO | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Albania |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2007 05 |
 Armenia |
14[4] | 1.2 | - | 2005 12 |
 Belarus |
14 | 1.2 | - | - |
 Croatia |
12 | - | - | - |
 Georgia |
10 | 1 | - | 2005 04 |
 Kazakhstan |
14[4] | 1.2 | - | 2003 07 |
 Kyrgyzstan |
14[4] | 1.2 | - | |
 Macedonia |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2008 03 |
 Moldova |
15 | 1.2 | - | 2008 01[5] |
 Montenegro |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 02 |
 Russia |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2010 06 |
 Serbia |
14[6] | 1.4 | 14 | 2007 01 |
 Turkmenistan |
16 | 1.4 | - | - |
 Ukraine |
15[7] | 1.3 | - | 1997 07 |
 Uzbekistan |
16 | 1.4 | - | - |
(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs.)
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
| Country | Tar | Nicotine | CO | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Austria |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Belgium |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Bulgaria |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2008 01 |
 Cyprus |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 05 |
 Czech Republic |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 05 |
 Denmark |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Estonia |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2006 06 |
 Finland |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 France |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Germany |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Greece |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2007 01 |
 Hungary |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 04 |
 Iceland |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Ireland |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2003 09 |
 Italy |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Latvia |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 10 |
 Liechtenstein |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 10 |
 Lithuania |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 06 |
 Luxembourg |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Malta |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 04 |
 Netherlands |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Norway |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Poland |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 03 |
 Portugal |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Romania |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2007 01 |
 Slovakia |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2006 07 |
 Slovenia |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Spain |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Sweden |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 01 |
 Switzerland |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2004 10 |
 United Kingdom |
10 | 1 | 10 | 2003 09 |
(All values in mg/cigarette.)
Current regulations are based on European Union directive "2001/37" (PDF). (220 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 mg tar (1992), then to 12 mg tar (01-1998), without maximum levels for nicotine and CO.
Middle East
| Country | Tar | Nicotine | CO | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bahrain |
10 | 0.6 | 12 | 1995 01 |
 Jordan |
10 | 1 | 15 | 2004 01 |
 Kuwait |
10 | 0.6 | 12 | 1995 01 |
 Oman |
10 | 0.6 | 12 | 1995 01 |
 Palestinian Authority |
25 | 1.6 | - | 2005 07 |
 Qatar |
10 | 0.6 | 12 | 1995 01 |
 Saudi Arabia |
10 | 0.6 | 12 | 1995 01 |
 Syria |
13 | 1.1 | 10.5 | 2007 01 |
 Turkey |
12 | 1 | 10 | 2007 01 |
 UAE |
10 | 0.6 | 12 | 1995 01 |
 Yemen |
12 | 0.8 | - | 1995 01 |
(All values in mg/cigarette and must be reported on packs (see exceptions below.)
The Palestinian Authority and Yemen do not require tar and nicotine values to be indicated on the packs' side.
Notes and references
- ^ ISO methods 3308 (general conditions), 4387 (tar), 8454 (CO) and 10315 (nicotine).
- ^ WHO Scientific Advisory Committee on Tobacco Product Regulation. Recommendation on Health Claims Derived from ISO/FTC Method to Measure Cigarette Yield. 2002
- ^ 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
- ^ a b c For filter cigarettes. Non filter: 16 mg tar and 1.3 mg nicotine
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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