Following the withdrawal of Article 23 and the publication of the ANSES report, France's vaping policy needs to be rethought.
Last Wednesday, February 4, World Cancer Day went completely unnoticed in the media. Rather than talking about the scourge of smoking, the leading cause of cancer, it was vaping, its greatest enemy, that made the headlines...
Following an embargoed release accompanied by a very "clumsy" press release, the publication of the ANSES report sparked a new media panic about vaping that was completely at odds with its conclusions. Alarmist and sensationalist headlines, a rush to outrage and frighten, we even read on a national news channel: Cancer, cardiovascular disease: vaping kills too...
In the field, our members report, as always, that customers are concerned in stores, with some talking about returning to cigarettes "since vaping is no less dangerous, if not worse.".
But that's not all. Many vapers have reacted. Fed up with the misinformation they are subjected to, which many of them are able to decipher, they have made their voices heard on social media, fervently defending the tool that has helped them quit smoking. This new spontaneous mobilization of users echoes the 250,000 signatories of the petition for the withdrawal of Article 23.
Beyond the noise, risk reduction is officially recognized
Let's start by highlighting the very serious report in the daily newspaper Libération on the ANSES report and, beyond that, with an article on the vaping lobbies that once again lifts the veil on the toxic influence of the tobacco industry, which muddies the waters and sows confusion. This is a welcome clarification that helps distinguish the independent vaping industry from tobacco companies, as ANSES suggests with regard to marketing: "The concept of risk reduction is now being used by various players in the sector, particularly tobacco manufacturers, whose interpretation differs significantly from that of the players who initially used it in a public health context."
On the FIVAPE side, there were numerous requests from journalists. I spoke to AFP, Le Télégramme, Le Parisien, Le Figaro, and 60 millions de consommateurs, which stood out in particular, as did the consumer association UFC-Que choisir, by reiterating what the ANSES report actually says: vaping is a major and recognized risk reduction compared to the harmful effects of smoking, and it is an aid that can be recommended to smokers.
Health professionals have also reframed the debate. Dr. Alice Descheneau, president of the Société Francophone de Tabacologie (SFT), told Libération, "For doctors who put themselves in the shoes of smokers, vaping is an effective way to quit and less dangerous than cigarettes." Catherine Delorme, president of the Fédération Addiction, points out in the health pages of Le Figaro that "the risk-benefit balance clearly favors vaping." Professor Bertrand Dautzenberg also reacted strongly on social media, calling for an objective reading of the ANSES report: "a high-quality scientific report, and therefore nuanced, which clearly separates certainties from hypotheses."
Scientific, medical, and regulatory consensus
ANSES thus joins the existing consensus, whether on proven or suspected risks, or on the benefits of vaping for smokers.
Based on more than 2,500 studies analyzed on the risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease, none of the "probable" or "possible" risks have been "proven" to date. The scientific work of ANSES confirms the results of the Cochrane Institution's ongoing meta-analysis.
The agency's recommendations are consistent with the consensus reached by experts from the SFT and, more recently, by the international VECTOR group, which can be summarized as follows:
- If they do not want to, or are unable to, quit smoking using other methods, smokers should switch completely to e-cigarettes.
Given the long-term uncertainties, there is no such thing as zero risk:
- Vapers who no longer smoke and who no longer feel at risk of relapsing should try to stop vaping.
- Non-smokers should not vape.
ANSES adds other key points:
- Vaping should be a temporary measure. However, she does not specify how long this should last. This point is indeed a matter of debate, as a recent study indicates that continued vaping after successfully quitting smoking reduces the risk of relapse.
- Although it recommends avoiding it and favoring nicotine substitutes, ANSES does not absolutely advise against vaping for pregnant women if it can help them quit smoking to reduce risks.
- It also points out that most studies struggle to distinguish the effects of vaping from those of tobacco. Indeed, 98% of vapers are or have been smokers. ANSES also questions the protocols of certain studies, with experimental conditions that are sometimes very far removed from everyday practices (equipment used, nature and quantity of emissions, etc.).
- The agency is deeply concerned about the misinformation circulating among the general public, most of whom perceive the risks of vaping as equivalent to or greater than those associated with smoking tobacco. It calls on public authorities to quickly correct this misperception.
- With regard to e-liquids, ANSES recommends establishing a list of ingredients to be banned, which is a much more rational and reassuring approach than restricting flavors solely for their taste.
- Finally, the agency advises against taxing vaping, fearing for the safety of users who could then turn more to "homemade" products, and especially to the black market, with products that are completely unregulated.
Beyond these recommendations, which are firmly focused on the interests of smokers, ANSES calls for caution and prevention when it comes to young people:
- Do not trivialize vaping, and reserve it for helping smokers quit tobacco.
- and above all, enforce the law that has already prohibited sales to minors since 2014.
The ANSES report on vaping is over 700 pages long. For a clearer understanding, check out this excellent analysis by Vaping Post magazine, in which FIVAPE praises the exceptional depth of the agency's work: France: the ANSES report on the toxicity of electronic cigarettes.
Positive signs for a new vaping policy in France?
With the withdrawal of Article 23, France is the first country in Europe to have refused to introduce taxes and restrictive measures on vaping. After months of battle, this is a symbolic victory for the independent sector, which was the only one to stand firm without compromise from start to finish.
With 3 million French people having already quit smoking with the help of vaping, the ANSES report on vaping reminds us how urgent it is to reassess its place in the arsenal of tools used to combat smoking, striking a balance between caution, vigilance, and responsibility in a country that still has 14 million smokers .
The agency's recommendations contradict all the restrictive measures supported by anti-smoking lobbies, which are neither learned societies nor health agencies. After attacking FIVAPE several times, the CNCT in particular expressed its dissatisfaction with the removal of Article 23, thus joining forces with the Confederation of Tobacconists against the independent vaping industry!
ANSES is an agency under the supervision of the Ministry of Health. This renewed focus on vaping by the health authorities is beneficial. The ANSES report should serve as a new compass for reinventing a public policy on vaping in France. This change should strengthen France's legitimacy and encourage our government to defend this risk reduction approach before the European Commission, in order to firmly oppose prohibitive and counterproductive measures that would only serve the interests of the tobacco industry.
For FIVAPE, the objective is clear. Vaping is a valuable and powerful tool, but it should not be placed in the hands of everyone. The independent sector is now recognized. Its expertise must be valued and protected. We must continue to make our voice heard loud and clear. Join us!
Jean MOIROUD
President of FIVAPE
