France’s prime minister is concerned that disposable vapes may lead young people to becoming addicted to traditional tobacco products. Photo credit: European Union, Creative Commons 2.0
France intends to prohibit single-use electronic cigarettes, as stated by French prime minister Elisabeth Borne during an interview on radio station RTL recently.
Borne emphasized the significance of this decision by saying that “it’s an important public health issue.”
She further mentioned that the government is currently devising a national initiative to combat the use of tobacco.
Borne expressed concerns that these “puff” devices are sometimes used by young individuals, which can foster habits that may lead to addiction to traditional tobacco products further down the line.
However, the prime minister emphasized that the government has no intentions of increasing tobacco taxes next year following a recent unpopular hike.
In 2021, French president Emmanuel Macron unveiled an ambitious agenda to address tobacco and alcohol-related issues, including the creation of additional smoke-free zones and striving to ensure that all individuals aged 20 and above are tobacco-free by 2030.