Rabat – Morocco is set to implement tighter regulations on cigarette sales starting January 1, 2024, with the aim to limit the levels of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide in cigarettes available for sale across the country.
The new rules, outlined in Decree No. 2-21-235 issued in September 2021, set maximum levels of the substances in cigarettes sold in the Moroccan market.
Tar content will be capped at 10 milligrams, nicotine at 1 milligram, and carbon monoxide at 10 milligrams. Cigarettes surpassing said thresholds will be barred from sale.
Customs and Indirect Taxes Administration announced that all imported or locally produced cigarette displays or consumption after January 1, 2024, must be accompanied by laboratory analysis results from accredited specialized labs.
The administration will be responsible for monitoring the content of both imported and locally produced cigarettes to ensure compliance with the new regulations.
The decision aims to address concerns regarding nicotine addiction, increased heart disease risks due to carbon monoxide, and potential cancer-related effects linked to tar in cigarettes.
The news comes a week after the Commission for the Approval of Manufactured Tobacco Product Prices greenlighted a price hike in cigarette prices starting January 1, 2024. Cigarette packs will see a price increase between 1 to 2 dirhams, varying across brands.
The decision follows the tax reforms outlined in the 2022 budget, which will see a progressive trajectory for the domestic consumption tax (TIC) on tobacco. The plan projects an increase from MAD 100 in 2022 to a substantial MAD 550 by 2026.
The anticipated revenue surge from the domestic consumption tax on manufactured tobacco in the fiscal year 2023, estimated at around MAD 12.5 billion ($1.1 billion), significantly surpasses the 11.8 billion Moroccan dirhams collected in 2022, marking a 5.82% increase.
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