Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents (HPHCs)

Harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) are chemicals or chemical compounds in a tobacco product or tobacco smoke that cause, or could cause, harm to smokers or non-smokers.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act requires tobacco product manufacturers and importers to report quantities of HPHCs found in tobacco products or tobacco smoke by brand and sub-brand.

While there are more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco and tobacco smoke, FDA established a list of 93 HPHCs that tobacco companies will be required to report for every regulated tobacco product sold in the U.S.  All HPHCs included on the list cause or may cause serious health problems including cancer, lung disease, and addiction to tobacco products.  

• Download the established list of 93 HPHCs in tobacco products and tobacco smoke.
• Read the HPHC draft guidance released March 2012. FDA recognizes that industry may be unable to meet the deadline due to current testing limitations. In recognition of this, the draft guidance identifies 20 HPHCs that are representative of the full list and for which testing methods are well established and widely available. FDA intends to focus reporting enforcement on these 20 HPHCs during 2012.

FDA intends to make information about the amount of HPHCs in specific products available to the public in a consumer-friendly format by April 2013.

More Information 

• Obama Administration Takes Action to Address Tobacco Epidemic
• What Are You Smoking (or Chewing or Inhaling)?
• Tobacco Control Act Overview