French parliament votes to ban single-use e-cigarettes
It follows EU approval of ban last year, and now requires Senate approval
Reusable vapes are not to be affected by the ban, but colourful single-use ones such as those pictures above will be
Tikhonova Yana / Shutterstock
A ban on disposable e-cigarettes in France is now one step closer after MPs voted unanimously in favour of a ban on the products.
The vote was passed by 163 - 0 by MPs.
The law will ban “the possession for the purpose of sale, distribution or offering free of charge [e-cigarettes that are] pre-filled with liquid and which cannot be refilled, whether or not they have a rechargeable battery.”
Vapes that can be refilled with liquid and are reusable are not affected by the ban.
The law banning the sale of puffs – as they are known in France – now only requires approval by the Senate for it to be implemented.
The upper chamber already submitted a copy of the law in early 2024, and a mixed committee of both MPs and senators approved the ban, meaning the law is all but certain to be passed.
The EU Commission granted France its approval to ban e-cigarettes last year, meaning the law can be initiated as soon as the Senate votes in favour of it.
Read more: EU gives go-ahead for France to ban disposable vapes
France will follow northern neighbour Belgium, which banned the disposable cigarettes this January.
‘Gateway’ to tobacco usage
“Manufacturers and researchers have no shortage of imagination when it comes to finding products they know will be used. The consequences for health are there to be seen,” said senator Jean-Luc Fichet during the joint committee on the matter in 2024.
“These are serious public health issues. Introducing children, without their knowledge, to nicotine and tobacco consumption is very serious,” he added.
The EU Commission described the e-cigarette as a ‘gateway’ to tobacco products, as well as highlighting their environmental impact
Read more: Cigarette prices rise again in France
