Market & legal data of the tobacco alternative sector in France

6th November 2024: France: The National Assembly Finance Committee is discussing amendments to the 2025 Budget Bill to introduce an excise tax on nicotine pouches and increase the tax rate for heated tobacco products (HTPs). One proposal would introduce an excise tax on nicotine pouches amounting to €22 per kg starting on 1st March 2025, €44 per kg in 2026, and €66 per kg in 2027. Another proposal suggests an excise tax of €10 per kg plus 3% of the retail sale price, starting on 1st January 2025. The amendment for HTPs aims to increase the rate to €155 per kg plus 51.4% of the retail sale price, effective 1st March 2025.
30th October 2024: France: During an interview with the newspaper Le Parisien, minister of health Geneviève Darrieussecq announced an upcoming ban on nicotine pouches, explaining that due to their high nicotine content and popularity among teenagers and young people, a ban will be implemented in order to protect them from excessive consumption. The minister added that the ban text will be published “in the coming weeks”.
29th October 2024: France: On 21st October, the National Assembly began reviewing the revenue section of the 2025 Social Security Budget Bill. Initially set to conclude on 25th October, the debate was extended to 26th October due to 1,500 outstanding amendments. The amendments will now be discussed starting 5th November, coinciding with the review of the bill’s spending section. If there are no further delays, a final vote on the entire budget is expected on 19th November. The bill is expected to introduce excise duties on tobacco products and e-liquids.
25th October 2024: France: A group of independent deputies and representatives from the overseas territories has presented an amendment to the 2025 Budget Bill proposing the transfer of tobacco excise collection in Corsica from the regional administration to France’s national social security system. Currently, tobacco excise duties on Corsican sales are managed by the regional social security system, but under this proposal, Corsica would receive a share of national value-added tax (VAT) revenue instead, aligning with the approach in other decentralised regions. This amendment seeks to decouple Corsica’s regional finances from tobacco sales, providing a more predictable revenue stream and supporting a sustainable public health policy.
25th October 2024: France: As Parliament debates the 2025 Finance and Social Security Financing bills, the Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT) issued a call to action, highlighting key priorities for reducing smoking. The ACT’s recommendations include implementing a minimum annual tobacco tax increase of 10% until 2030, banning flavoured nicotine pouches (which remain partially regulated) and introducing a minimum tax of €0.15 per ml on e-cigarette liquids to better regulate this market and reduce its appeal to non-smokers.
21st October 2024: France: A group of Les Républicains senators has proposed a new bill that aims to establish a clear legal framework for nicotine pouches, addressing the current lack of regulation. The bill includes product restrictions, an excise duty of €22 per kg, labelling and packaging requirements, advertising restrictions, product notification obligations, and restrictions on retail sales. The political party proposing this bill is that of the recently appointed prime minister, Michel Barnier, and holds liberal-conservative views. It could have a significant impact as they are supported by president Macron's party, and there has also been interest from other parties to regulate alternative tobacco products – an example being the disposable vape ban.
18th October 2024: France: The association Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT) has taken legal action against the French government to denounce “the insufficient controls and sanctions” for tobacconists who sell tobacco products to under-18s. This is the first administrative dispute brought against state services regarding the sale of tobacco products, in a country where smoking prevalence is estimated around 34.6%. Retailers are responsible for age checks on buyers, and ACT is asking the state for stronger enforcement of the sanctions foreseen by the law.
14th October 2024: France: The government has presented the Social Security Financing Bill for 2025. For now, no amendments have been proposed to increase the excise duty on heated tobacco products or to introduce an excise duty for e-cigarettes. The 2025 Budget Bill proposal will see a general tax increase and an effort to reduce public expenditure, in order to reduce public deficit.
11th October 2024: France: In the region of Occitanie, the first events of the “Tobacco-free month” campaign started this week. The 9th edition of this national challenge that invites smokers to try to give up smoking for a month will be held in November 2024. The Ministry of Health, the Regional Health Agency, the city of Toulouse, and local partners are supporting the initiative, ensuring the application of tobacco control laws and policies by encouraging behavioural change, supporting cessation, and providing a platform for public and institutional engagement.
4th October 2024: France: The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a new study led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that shows prohibiting the sale of tobacco to people born between 2006 and 2010 could prevent 1.2m lung cancer deaths by 2095. This strategy is part of broader tobacco elimination efforts aimed at reducing smoking rates by phasing out tobacco sales based on birthdates and ultimately preventing smoking among younger generations.
4th October 2024: France: The price of cigarettes and rolling tobacco is set to rise again in 2025 and 2026, press reports. France already has the second-highest tobacco prices in Europe after Ireland. Costs have been steadily increasing over years as part of a public health effort to curb smoking. More increases are planned for 2025 and 2026, with a packet of cigarettes potentially reaching €13 and rolling tobacco approaching €20. Prices are indexed to inflation, driving these ongoing hikes.
23rd September 2024: France: The new prime minister, Michel Barnier, has released the composition of his government, mostly from Les Républicains (the conservative-leaning party of the prime minister) and the coalition Ensemble pour la République, led by president Macron. The new government's stance on tobacco products and cannabis is expected to remain consistent with the previous administration, emphasising a harm-reduction approach. The new health minister is Geneviève Darrieussecq, a physician and deputy of the Democratic Movement (MoDem) who served as minister for people with disabilities in the government of prime minister Élisabeth Borne from 2022 to 2023.

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