Tobacco Products
What are tobacco products
- All products containing or extracted from tobacco leaves that are intended for human use
- Raw materials other than tobacco used in manufacturing a component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product are NOT tobacco products
- Products containing nicotine or intended to deliver nicotine with the aim of facilitating treatment are NOT tobacco products
Types of tobacco products
Smoking tobacco: cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, hand rolling tobacco
Smokeless tobacco: chewing tobacco, sniffing tobacco and dissolvable tobacco
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes)
Regulations
The Authority is mandated to regulate the manufacturing, distribution, importation, exportation, marketing, promotion and sale of tobacco products:
- Tobacco Product (Regulation) Act, 2003
- The Tobacco Products (Regulations) (Designation of Inspectors) Notice, 2021
- The Tobacco Products Regulations, 2014
All dealers in tobacco products are required to notify the Authority. For details on how to notify, refer to the section on Tobacco Product Notification Process
Why regulate tobacco products?
To safeguard the public’s health and reduce tobacco related non communicable diseases by:
- Ensuring that smokers are aware of the risks associated with smoking cigarettes and nicotine products;
- Monitoring the exposure of information to children and teenagers;
- Monitoring and treating addiction due to nicotine use; and
- Implementing policies to limit the use of tobacco products.
Effects of tobacco products
All tobacco products including e-cigarettes have long term and short-term impact our health as follows:
Short term effects:
- Low energy levels & fatigue
- Foul (bad) breath
- Shortness of breath & coughing
- Reduced sense of taste & smell
- Increase risk of stroke, brain damage and heart disease
- Increase risk of cancers of the respiratory system including nose, throat, tongue and lips
- Permanent foul breath, teeth staining & decay
Tobacco Products Notification Process
- Domestic manufacturers of any type of tobacco products
- Tobacco product wholesalers
- Importers of tobacco products
- Distributors of tobacco products
Dealers in raw tobacco products who do not sell finished tobacco products, need NOT notify the Authority
- Fill in the Tobacco Product Notification Form available online and at all TMDA offices including zones
- Submit the filled in form physically at TMDA offices or through the following email address: tobacco@tmda.go.tz
- There is NO fee for notification of tobacco products
- Notification can be initiated any time from 1st July 2021 to 1st January 2022