The European Commission has given the green light to France's proposed law that aims to ban the sale of vapes, or disposable e-cigarettes containing nicotine, in the country. The law, which was adopted by the French National Assembly in December 2023 and later by the Senate, only required the European Union's approval. With this final hurdle cleared, France is expected to implement the ban in the coming months.
Puffs Gain Popularity Among French Teenagers
A study commissioned by the Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT) in 2023 revealed that among young people aged 13 to 16, 73% had already heard of puffs, and 15% had used them. Alarmingly, 47% of these users had started their nicotine consumption through puffs (up from 28% in 2022), and 23% had subsequently turned to other tobacco and nicotine products.
The French Parliament adopted the cross-party bill, spearheaded by Francesca Pasquini, in March 2023. The then-Health Minister, Catherine Vautrin, denounced puffs as a "health, social, and environmental scourge," emphasizing that the marketing of these products is designed to attract young people with bright colors, fruity flavors, and low prices.
European Commission Cites Public Health Concerns
The European Commission justified its decision by citing public health concerns, deeming the ban on puffs "justified, necessary, and proportionate" in light of the health issues at stake. France had also highlighted the environmental impact of these disposable e-cigarettes, particularly due to the microplastics, chemicals, and lithium batteries they contain, both in terms of production and recycling.
The European institution also pointed out the low cost of these products, which is significantly lower than that of a conventional cigarette pack, making them particularly attractive. Prices range from 5 to 20 euros, depending on the battery life and the number of puffs (approximately 500 to 5,000 puffs, equivalent to 20 to 200 cigarettes), which is less than the average cost of a pack of conventional cigarettes, estimated at 12 euros.
However, this European validation only concerns puffs and does not apply to other rechargeable e-cigarettes, the sale of which remains authorized.
France Poised to Confirm the Ban
The European Commission stated, "Taking into consideration the objective of ensuring a high level of protection of human health pursued by Directive 2014/40/EU, the national ban on the manufacture, holding for sale, distribution or free supply, placing on the market, sale, distribution or free supply of disposable electronic cigarettes containing nicotine may be considered as complying with the requirements set out in Article 24(3) of the Directive, insofar as it concerns disposable electronic cigarettes intended to be placed on the French market or already marketed there."
The French Parliament can now definitively confirm its vote, paving the way for the law's promulgation. In a tweet, Francesca Pasquini even suggested a date, announcing an effective withdrawal from the French market by the end of 2024.
