The French government recently announced plans to ban disposable vapes as part of a new national anti-smoking initiative.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne stated in a radio interview that disposable e-cigarettes will soon be prohibited in France. She noted these devices are giving bad habits to young people and can serve as a gateway to smoking traditional cigarettes.
Most disposable vapes sold in France come in sweet, fruity flavors like pink lemonade, gummy bear, and watermelon. These flavors appeal strongly to teenagers and youth. The disposables are priced from €8 to €12 and are intended for single use before being thrown away.
The French government is concerned the widespread availability and flavors are causing disposable vapes to become a reflex habit for young people. Officials believe banning the devices will help curb rising youth nicotine addiction.
While existing laws prohibit sales of all e-cigarettes to those under 18, enforcement remains problematic. The coming disposable vape ban aims to address this issue by removing access and availability.
Some French health advocates have argued for tighter enforcement of existing rules rather than an outright ban. But the government believes removing disposable vapes from the market entirely will have the quickest impact on youth vaping rates.
No details were provided on precisely when the disposable vaporizer prohibition will take effect. The ban on disposables is part of a larger anti-tobacco plan soon to be unveiled by French officials.
Tobacco smoking causes an estimated 75,000 deaths annually in France. The government hopes its initiatives can help lower this toll by discouraging nicotine addiction among teenagers and youth.
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