The French directory of specialty vape shops that are independent of the tobacco industry
FIVAPE Is Active on All Fronts!
On the legislative front, the past few weeks have been very eventful. Indeed, certain organizations have sought to take advantage of the RIPOST Act to introduce amendments regarding the regulation of the distribution of vaping products. As with the 2026 Finance Act and its Article 23—which addresses monopolistic abuses and discretionary licensing—the future of specialty shops is once again at stake.
In response to these attacks, FIVAPE has held a series of meetings with lawmakers, government officials, and institutions to reaffirm its positions:
- Yes to regulating retail outlets to prevent abuses
- Yes to sales restricted exclusively to specialty retailers (brick-and-mortar and online stores) and tobacco shops,
- a ban on all other distribution channels: grocery stores, general merchandise stores, mass retailers, non-specialized e-commerce sites, etc.
- that this regulatory framework remain under the supervision of the Ministry of Health
- that fair rules are guaranteed for all businesses
On the merits, we have raised concerns about the inappropriate nature of the RIPOST bill and strongly condemned the attempts to use this law to quietly push through amendments related to vaping.
Yesterday morning, all of the relevant amendments were rejected. They were declared inadmissible under Rule 98 of the Rules of Procedure, that is, as legislative riders unrelated to the text.
Based on our analysis of the situation, both technically and politically, there is now very little risk that these amendments will resurface in the Senate. The danger therefore appears to have been averted for the time being…
But this series of events serves as a new warning ahead of the 2027 budget bill. These issues will resurface, and we are already working on them. This series of events has allowed us to make our positions and proposals heard at a very opportune time. The role of the sector and its independence from the tobacco industry are increasingly recognized and understood.
We advocate to policymakers for responsible vaping—a method designed to help people quit smoking and recommended by experts.
With this in mind, FIVAPE has conducted extensive research and provided information on the issue of age verification on specialized e-commerce sites. We issued a press release that was received with interest by all of our stakeholders: Age Verification on Specialized E-Commerce Sites: The Vaping Industry Takes Action.
As the months go by, we are building on our efforts and working to gain recognition for our sector’s expertise in the fight against tobacco use.
All recent data published by our national agencies point in this direction: safe, independent, and responsible vaping has a place in the smoking cessation process. This is what we advocate at every meeting.
The next FIVAPE newsletter will be sent to you in early September. We will then provide an update on the summer and the many issues awaiting us as the new school year begins, particularly the Finance Bill and the Social Security Financing Bill.
Until then, follow us on social media to stay up to date: LinkedIn, Facebook, X.
The entire FIVAPE team wishes you a wonderful summer!
Jean MOIROUD
President of FIVAPE
