This week, Santé publique France published the results of its 2024 health barometer, which reveals new data on smoking, attempts to quit, mois sans tabac vaping.
Amidst controversy, exacerbated by the finance bill that threatens the independent vaping sector of the tobacco industry, the full results of the health barometer were eagerly awaited.
Santé publique France explains that it has changed its method, specifying that further results will be published later, without giving a date. These will also be eagerly awaited, as the data published so far is incomplete compared to previous editions.
In the meantime, these initial results confirm an undeniable trend that has been evident for more than 10 years: more and more French people are choosing to vape rather than smoke.
Results that confirm the place of vaping in the fight against the scourge of tobacco
The main data are simple and meaningful:
- Smoking has declined significantly in recent years in France, with momentum beginning with the arrival of vaping.
- Vaping is steadily growing in popularity.
- net nicotine consumption is falling sharply;
- Almost all daily vapers in 2024 have experience with tobacco (97.2%);
- It is the most vulnerable populations, who are also the most affected by smoking, who are most likely to take up vaping, undoubtedly for economic reasons.
All the data agree on the major positive impact of vaping on the decline in smoking prevalence in France and its equitable access to all populations.
This is very gratifying news for professionals in the French vaping industry, who are currently forced to fight for their right to exist. Thanks to them, and despite the tobacco industry's attempts to infiltrate the market, vaping has not been misused in France: it remains primarily a tool to help people quit smoking.
Incomplete data
The results on smoking and vaping from the health barometer are now separate. While all the data show that only smokers are interested in vaping, this separation raises questions because it avoids highlighting an obvious causality and contributes to presenting vaping not as a solution to a problem, but only as a problem.
Important data is missing from the results. There is a section entitled “Smoking: use, desire to quit, and attempts to quit,” but the methods chosen by smokers are no longer reported, even though this information is essential.
There is also a lack of historical data, particularly on age groups, making it impossible to track changes in consumption. There is also a lack of follow-up on people who stop vaping after quitting cigarettes, as well as on relapses, either into vaping or smoking.
The categories of “exclusive vapers” and dual-user “vape-smokers” are well identified, but another dual-user profile is missing , which is also essential, covering users who “vape + use nicotine substitutes.” However, this practice is very widespread, particularly when prescribed by doctors. The consensus among SFT experts confirms that many of them incorporate vaping into their practice to help their patients quit smoking, either exclusively or in combination with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other medications.
Disturbing comments
However, comments in the health barometer regarding the results on vaping, which have been reported in all media outlets, remain very cautious and ambiguous.
Santé publique France is concerned about toxic compounds, COPD, and asthma symptoms based on isolated studies, while also citing the Cochrane meta-analysis, which is based on 90 studies that meet strict quality criteria and is continuously updated. However, according to this meta-analysis based on evidence and a high level of confidence, vaping with nicotine is a more effective aid than nicotine replacement therapies, and without any significant additional or different harms beyond the common effects of NRTs— irritation, headaches, coughing, or nausea.
Similarly, the concepts of “gateway” and “renormalization of smoking” are once again featured in the comments by Santé publique France, even though the most recent data from the OFDT (French Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction) have repeatedly shown that smoking among young people is falling sharply, as is the net balance of nicotine consumption.
The issue of how people see the risks of vaping versus smoking is totally ignored. However, it was Santé publique France itself, in collaboration with INCa, that showed that 79.4% of French people believe that e-cigarettes can cause cancer, with 52.9% even considering that e-cigarettes are as harmful as or more harmful than tobacco cigarettes. This widespread misinformation is abnormal and influences smokers' behavior.
It must be noted that Santé publique France, despite the results it publishes, struggles to recognize the place and positive impact of vaping in the fight against smoking, nevertheless urging people not to discourage smokers who have committed to trying to quit smoking with the help of vaping.
The health barometer is an indispensable tool that deserves greater precision. The absence of essential data opens the door to too many conjectures and imaginary narratives, which harm the public interest and portray vaping as a problem rather than a solution.
Mois Sans tabac
The health barometer devotes a chapter to evaluating the effectiveness of Mois Sans Tabac. Approximately 220,000 people report having attempted to quit smoking thanks to the campaign. This achievement should be viewed in light of the more than 230,000 signatories of the DON'T KILL VAPING petition, who are simply asking that their efforts to quit smoking not be hindered.
Anti-vaping lobbies?
FIVAPE is surprised by the influence of lobbies that are neither health agencies nor learned societies on the public authorities' perception of vaping. Following a press release from the CNCT, which was aggressive and targeted independent vaping professionals, and which offered absurd interpretations of the results of the health barometer, Jean Moiroud, president of FIVAPE, responded personally.
CONTACT: SOLENN PETITJEAN - LABEL RP - 06 85 03 05 29 - solenn.p@labelrp.com