Flavors in vape play a key role in the success of smoking cessation for adult smokers. Limiting them could jeopardize the fight against smoking, which affects over 30% of the French population.
The debate on the role of flavourings in vaping rages on, pitting public health concerns against the desire to protect young people. Yet all the available evidence suggests that flavourings in vaping are much more than a mere accessory: they play a fundamental role in helping smokers to quit. Restricting access to them could, paradoxically, hinder progress in the fight against smoking. It's an established fact that the majority of people who use vape are adult smokers looking for effective ways to quit.
As such, FIVAPE wishes to share its scientific watch and the field experience of vape professionals who are independent of the tobacco industry, and who are the N°1 players in the fight against smoking in France.
Flavors: a determining factor in smoking cessation
Numerous studies show that flavors improve the acceptability and appeal of e-cigarettes among adults in transition. The variety of flavors, whether fruity, gourmand or mentholated, makes it possible to dissociate the vaping experience from that of smoked tobacco. This sensory break facilitates the psychological detachment from the taste of tobacco, often associated with ingrained habits such as alcohol or coffee consumption, or closely linked to a moment of pause or conviviality. By offering a pleasant alternative to the smell of tobacco, flavours help maintain commitment to the weaning process.
Solid evidence for the effectiveness of flavours in smoking cessation
Data from international cohorts and national surveys converge: adult e-cigarette users who choose non-tobacco flavors have higher cessation success rates than those who stick with tobacco flavors. A large American study showed that adult vapers who opted for fruity or sweet flavors were more likely to quit smoking completely than those who used tobacco flavors exclusively. These results are corroborated by French analyses, which underline that the variety of flavors available is a factor of satisfaction and perseverance in weaning.
Don't confuse taste with toxicological risks
A major pitfall of public debate lies in the confusion between a sensory typology - fruity, sweet, gourmet - and the presence of problematic substances. It's not the fact that a flavoring evokes strawberry, vanilla or caramel that may constitute a danger in itself, but the potential use of molecules identified as worrying by health agencies such as ECHA/REACH. Mixing these two dimensions blurs the debate and sustains a biased perception of vape, whereas this distinction is essential for an effective public health policy. France's e-liquid producers have made no mistake about this, as they are keen to offer the market the healthiest possible alternative to tobacco, in compliance with regulations. The chemical engineers at France's leading e-liquid laboratories are involved on a daily basis in research into the safety of vaping products.
Appropriate regulation should therefore focus on strict control of components and compliance with official lists of authorized substances, rather than arbitrarily banning certain flavor families. The standards already in place in France, notably via AFNOR standards, offer a concrete example of intelligent regulation: they ensure safety and transparency while preserving the aromatic diversity essential to adults undergoing smoking cessation.
Restricting flavours: a risk for public health
Faced with growing concerns about the appeal of vaping to young people, some are blaming the diversity of flavors on offer, and arguing for a drastic limitation of flavors, or even banning them except for "tobacco" taste. But this approach could prove counterproductive. The figures are indisputable: the population of adult smokers, the main target for cessation, is far more numerous than that of young non-smoking vapoteurs. In France, there are over 15 million adult smokers, while the prevalence of regular vaping among non-smoking teenagers remains marginal. Depriving adults of the aromatic diversity that enables them to quit smoking would be tantamount to sacrificing an effective tool, in the presumed interest of a very small minority, with a real risk of resorting to the black market for uncontrolled products, to the detriment, ultimately, of the general interest.
The absurdity of imposing the "cigarette" flavour on those who want to stop smoking
It's a paradoxical logic to impose tobacco flavoring as the only option for people wishing to quit smoking. The taste of tobacco, far from being neutral, is often associated with addiction and memories of smoking. Many ex-smokers say they reject the taste and smell of tobacco, preferring flavours that symbolically and sensorially mark a break with the traditional cigarette. Forcing individuals to retain this cigarette taste, when they are trying to free themselves from it, is tantamount to hindering their weaning process rather than supporting it.
Take into account local realities and user profiles
It's essential to distinguish between the uses and motivations of different audiences. The majority of adult smokers who turn to vaping do so with a view to reducing or stopping smoking, and not for the pleasure of retaining the taste of tobacco. On the contrary, one of the first pleasures of vaping is often to get away from the smell of tobacco on clothes, breath, hair and skin. Smokers do not smoke out of affection for the taste of tobacco, but because they are addicted to cigarettes. Public policies must be based on this reality, and favor proportionate measures that protect young people without penalizing adult smokers. Controlling advertising and marketing, limiting access to minors, and regulating the composition and traceability of vaping products are sufficiently numerous and powerful levers to ensure that it is not necessary, useful or productive to resort to a flavour ban.
Striking the right balance for an effective public health policy
The issue of flavors in vaping cannot be reduced to a binary choice between protecting young people and supporting adult weaning. It's a question of striking a reasonable balance, based on scientific data and user experience. Flavors are a major asset in helping people quit smoking, provided they are responsibly managed. Restricting access to flavors without a clear definition would run the risk of slowing down the positive momentum observed since the rise of vaping, to the detriment of public health.
Flavors in vape are an essential lever for many adults seeking an alternative to tobacco. While vigilance is needed to protect young people, it would be counterproductive to restrict access to flavors for the entire population. A measured, evidence-based approach, adapted to the realities on the ground, is the key to an effective and balanced public health policy.
To remember
- Flavours make smoking cessation easier by dissociating the taste of tobacco from the vapour.
- Adult ex-smokers are the main beneficiaries of aromatic diversity.
- Restricting flavors could hamper the fight against smoking.
- Imposing the "cigarette" flavour runs counter to the weaning process.
- A balanced policy must protect young people without penalizing adult weaners.
References
Gravely S et al., 2020
Adults using non-tobacco flavors are more satisfied with vaping and more likely to quit smoking than those using tobacco flavor.
Gravely S, Cummings KM, Hammond D et al. "The Association of E-cigarette Flavors With Satisfaction, Enjoyment, and Perceived Helpfulness in Adults Who Currently Vaped or Quit Smoking: Findings From the International Tobacco Control Flavor Study" Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2020.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7542635/
Russell C et al., 2018
Fruity or sweet flavors are linked to greater persistence in cessation and smoking cessation in adults.
Russell C, McKeganey N, Dickson T, Nides M. "Changing patterns of first e-cigarette flavor used and current flavors used by 20,836 adult frequent e-cigarette users in the USA." Harm Reduction Journal, 2018.
https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-018-0238-6
Friedman AS, Xu S., 2020
In a US cohort, the use of nontobacco flavors increases the likelihood of smoking cessation in adults, with no clear impact in youth.
Friedman AS, Xu S. "Associations of flavored e-cigarette uptake with subsequent smoking initiation and cessation." JAMA Network Open. 2020;3(6):e203826.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2766787
Mosimann AF et al., 2025
At 6 months, adult exclusive vapers predominantly use fruity or mixed flavors rather than tobacco; flavor choice helps quit smoking.
Mosimann AF, et al. "E-liquid flavors and nicotine concentration choices over 6 months after a smoking cessation attempt with ENDS in adult smokers." Tobacco Prevention & Cessation, 2025.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39816168/
Pasquereau A et al., 2020 (Baromètre Santé France)
The majority of vapoteurs are adult ex-smokers or in withdrawal, while regular vaping among young non-smokers remains marginal.
Pasquereau A, Andler R, Guignard R, Richard JB, Arwidson P, Nguyen-Thanh V. " Electronic cigarettes in France: usage levels, user profiles and impact on tobacco consumption." Bulletin Epidémiologique Hebdomadaire, 2020.
https://beh.santepubliquefrance.fr/beh/2020/14/2020_14_1.html
Spilka S et al, 2022 (ESCAPAD survey, OFDT)
For several years, regular vaping among young non-smokers has been rare, despite high experimentation with the product.
Spilka S, Le Nézet O, Evrard I. "Les drogues à 17 ans: enquête ESCAPAD 2022." OFDT, 2022.
https://www.ofdt.fr/publication/2023/les-drogues-17-ans-analyse-de-l-enquete-escapad-2022-562