Sweden is Europe’s first “tobacco-free generation” country. What is France doing?
This is historic. With a daily smoking rate of 3.7%, the European Union officially recognizes that Sweden has already achieved, as of 2025, the target of less than 5% set by the Commission for 2040.
This outcome is the result of a policy that has long incorporated harm reduction. Unlike other EU countries, snus has never been banned in Sweden, and other alternatives—such as nicotine pouches and vaping—have been able to develop unhindered.
In terms of public health, the results are measurable when compared to European averages. Regardless of any debate about the products, the health benefits are considerable:
- 41% fewer cases of cancer
- a 44% lower rate of tobacco-related deaths .
With a smoking rate of 25%, including 18.2% of daily smokers (see the latest survey by Santé publique France), France has a smoking prevalence five times higher than Sweden’s.
However, our government has decided to ban nicotine pouches. This measure was introduced “in the interest of public health.”
Despite its credibility on the issue of harm reduction, Fivape has not weighed in on the debate. Our core mission is vaping, and vaping alone. Advocating for another product—even in the name of scientific facts—would have immediately exposed us to accusations of collusion, which our critics are all too quick to level.
It should be noted that nicotine pouches are not produced solely by the tobacco industry: independent companies also manufacture and distribute them, and their case has been championed by legitimate advocates of harm reduction. But in reality, it is the tobacco industry’s voice that has dominated the debate. And the result speaks for itself: in the face of this opposition, public authorities have banned everything.
And it’s not just about sales. The law also prohibits consumption itself. This provision is completely unenforceable; it shifts public health policy toward the criminalization of use and opens the door to the black market, which, as we know, has no control over age, dosage, or composition.
The public announcement accompanying this decision sparked an outcry across borders, particularly in Sweden, where policymakers and the media discovered that their citizens could face penalties simply for possessing or using tobacco pouches on our territory. In their rush to generate buzz, our policymakers have managed to alienate the most advanced country in Europe in the fight against smoking. This is a mistake—both diplomatic and public health-related.
This episode illustrates a prohibitionist reflex that strikes without any risk reduction analysis, without any impact assessment, and without any consideration for users. There is no guarantee that vaping will escape this fate. That is why the independent sector, which holds the lion’s share of the French market across the entire value chain—from manufacturers to retailers—must be protected and recognized for what it is: the guarantee of a model distinct from that of the tobacco industry.
Our government must take a stand, both at home and across Europe, to protect vaping and its long-standing, specialized stakeholders. Only then will France be able, in its own way, to embrace harm reduction and achieve the health benefits seen in Sweden, which has successfully defended its unique approach to steering its population away from smoking.
It’s the combustion that kills. Not the nicotine, nor vaping—ANSES has made this point unequivocally clear.
With this in mind, the National Plan to Combat Tobacco Use (PNLT) must be revised as a matter of urgency. Vaping must be recognized as a smoking cessation aid and, as such, should not be taxed or hindered by restrictions on flavors (forcing the taste of tobacco on smokers who want to quit is utterly absurd!) or by regulations that penalize the independent sector.
In response to the public consultation launched by the European Commission, FIVAPE has submitted yet another submission in support of this position. We hope that our voice will finally be heard.
See FIVAPE’s response – TPD Consultation – European Commission
All stakeholders are invited to respond to this consultation, including the vaping industry, advocacy groups, healthcare professionals, and consumers. All of our members are rallying to respond. We need a strong showing to urge policymakers to protect vaping, the primary tool for smoking cessation in France.
To participate, go to the official consultation page. Log in using your EU Sign-in account—or create a profile in just a few moments. And submit your feedback before the June 15 deadline!!
We have already helped 3 million smokers quit. We want to keep doing so.
Thank you for your support!
Jean MOIROUD
President of FIVAPE
