"Puffs": Ban on disposable e-cigarettes comes into force

The ban on "puffs" , the cheap disposable electronic cigarettes that are popular among young people, came into force with the publication on Tuesday 25 February in the Official Journal of the law unanimously adopted by Parliament on 13 February.

"The possession for the purpose of sale, distribution or free offer, the offering for sale, sale, distribution or free offer of electronic vaping devices (...) which are pre-filled with a liquid and cannot be refilled, whether or not they have a rechargeable battery, is prohibited. This prohibition does not apply to cartridges," states the text of the law, dated February 24.

Mint flavor, strawberry ice cream, watermelon or chocolate; attractive packaging and affordable cost had made these devices successful among young people, despite a proven risk of nicotine addiction.

After a unanimous National Assembly in early February , the Senate approved the ban on February 13 by a show of hands, the culmination of a journey of more than two years in Parliament with a passage through the European Commission, for this text initiated by the former Green MP Francesca Pasquini (Génération.s).

The rapporteur Khalifé Khalifé (LR) had denounced a "market which shamelessly targets young children with uninhibited marketing", while the ecologist senator Anne Souyris had criticised puffs "designed to attract young people with their sweet flavour and attractive design".

While welcoming an "important decision in terms of public health and the environment", the National Committee against Smoking expressed concern about "circumventions already anticipated by manufacturers who continue to put on the market electronic cigarettes targeting young people through the multiplicity of their flavors and which remain disposable after a very limited number of refills".

This decision "was being scrutinised by many countries", Francesca Pasquini assured at the time of the vote, believing that the French example could inspire many neighbours.

Fifteen percent of adolescents aged 13 to 16 have already used "puffs" and, among them, 47% say they began their initiation to nicotine through this means, according to a BVA survey for Alliance against tobacco from 2023.

Some parliamentarians had also called on the government to keep its commitments to ban another product, "pouches", nicotine sachets which are slipped between the lip and the gum.