Fivape press release.
On Monday February 13, 2023, the CNCT unveiled a report on the advertising of "new tobacco and nicotine products" comprising some ten proposals, including a ban on flavors in e-liquids. Some of these proposals represent a major risk to public health, and could have dramatic consequences if the government chooses to adopt them as part of the future National Tobacco Control Plan (PNLT).
Since its arrival in France 10 years ago, vape has become the preferred smoking cessation tool of the French. Every day, it enables 4 million French men and women to stay away from tobacco, and contributes directly to reducing the number of smoking-related deaths. Vape is the most effective cessation tool, ahead of traditional substitutes, as the Cochrane review found in its latest study(1).
This scientific consensus is not taken into account by the CNCT, which favors an ineffective ideology that stigmatizes smokers rather than helping them to quit. The report published yesterday sets out proposals which, if implemented, would wipe out the efforts made over the last 10 years to reduce smoking. The most worrying of these is a call for a ban on flavoring in vape products, on the grounds that it would be a gateway to smoking.
Let's take a step back and re-establish some scientific facts:
● Vape does not lead young people to tobacco. All serious studies have shown for the past 10 years, all over the world, that there is no bridging effect between vape and conventional cigarettes. (2)
● The variety of flavors is a key factor in the decision to quit smoking, but also a factor in maintaining motivation (3)
● Reducing flavours to "tobacco flavour" alone would be counter-productive: how can you ask smokers to give up smoking if you only allow them the flavour they're trying to quit?
These proposals are made under the guise of better protection for minors. However, the sale of vaping products to minors is strictly forbidden, and has been since 2016. Banning flavors would be tantamount to targeting products that directly and very effectively help the 4 million vapers, and could help the remaining 13 million smokers quit smoking.
"The 8,000 vaping professionals who work on a daily basis to help smokers know how essential flavor diversity is to the process of quitting smoking by vaping. It's vital to listen to them at a time when cigarette consumption is on the rise again." Jean Moiroud - President of Fivape.
Fivape is convinced that scientific data and common sense will prevail over an ideology that aims to destroy all efforts to keep smokers away from tobacco. We ask to meet the Minister of Health, so that together we can find the best solutions to help France's 13 million smokers quit.
1 Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation
2 Does e-cigarette experimentation increase the transition to daily smoking among young ever-smokers in France?
3 Preferred flavors and reasons for e-cigarette use and discontinued use among never, current, and former smokers