Disposable vapes will be banned in France as part of a national plan to combat smoking, the prime minister said on Sunday, reports The Guardian.
Élisabeth Borne told the broadcaster RTL that the government would “soon present a new national plan to fight against smoking with, in particular, the prohibition of disposable electronic cigarettes, the famous ‘puffs’ which give bad habits to young people”.
The French government is putting the final touches to its 2024 budget with a wider plan to reduce smoking, which Borne said was the cause of 75,000 deaths a year in the country.
She said the plan did not include another tax rise on cigarettes, adding: “But that does not mean we are not vigilant about tobacco consumption.”
Her main concern is disposable vapes, known as “puffs” in France, which she says are a gateway to smoking.
She is worried that the cigarettes with flavours such as ice candy, marshmallow and bubblegum reminiscent of childhood sweets and priced at €8 (£6.85) to €12 for 500 “puffs” are targeting teenagers.