France will soon ban disposable vapes as part of a national anti-smoking plan, the Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced on Friday. She said that disposable vapes are giving bad habits to young people and leading them to smoking.
“We have seen that these disposable vapes are giving bad habits to young people, who then switch to smoking,” Borne said in an interview with France Inter radio. Borne, speaking on RTL radio, did not say when the ban would enter into force.
She said the government would soon unveil its new plan to combat smoking, which she said is the cause of 75,000 deaths a year in the country.
“It’s a reflex and a gesture that young people get used to. That’s how they get into smoking,” she added.
The ban will take effect in the coming months, but the exact date has not been specified. Borne said that the government will consult with the manufacturers and retailers of disposable vapes before implementing the ban.
Disposable vapes are popular among teenagers because of their sweet and fruity flavors. They are currently sold in France for between 8 and 12 euros. They contain nicotine and other chemicals, but do not produce smoke or tar.
The sale and promotion of electronic cigarette devices to minors are already prohibited in France, but not well enforced. According to a 2020 survey by the French Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 16.9% of French teenagers aged 17 had used an e-cigarette in the past month, compared to 23.8% who had smoked a cigarette.
The ban on disposable vapes is part of a broader anti-smoking plan that aims to reduce the number of smokers in France by 20% by 2025. The plan also includes measures such as increasing the price of tobacco products, expanding smoke-free zones, and providing more support for smokers who want to quit.
France has one of the highest smoking rates in Europe, with about 25% of adults smoking regularly. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in France, killing about 75,000 people every year.
Relevant articles:
- France will soon ban disposable vapes under an anti-smoking plan, prime minister says, ABC News, September 3, 2023
- France Plans Disposable Vape Ban to Help Youths Avoid Smoking, Bloomberg, September 3, 2023
- France plans to ban disposable vapes, The Guardian, September 3, 2023
- France Will Soon Ban Disposable Vapes Under an Anti-Smoking Plan, Time, September 3, 2023