VAPING IN FRANCE : A DISASTROUS BILL

IN FRANCE, VAPING UNDER TAX PRESSURE

The French government has just presented its 2026 Finance Bill, and the news has sent shockwaves through the vaping world.

Among the key measures :

• Tax on e-liquids : between €0.03 and €0.05 per millilitre depending on the nicotine content.

• Total ban on the online sale of vaping products.

• Sale restricted to tobacconists or shops ‘approved’ by the State.

In short : independent vaping is in danger. Specialised e-commerce sites, small specialist shops and millions of vapers risk seeing their access to products drastically reduced or even eliminated.

« This bill goes against public health », warns FIVAPE, the sector's main professional federation. « It wrongly equates vaping with tobacco, when in fact it is the main alternative. »

ASSIMILATING VAPING WITH TOBACCO : A HISTORICAL ERROR

The French text redefines vaping products as « likely to be smoked ». In other words, in the eyes of the law, vaping = smoking.

A simple legal phrase, but one with devastating consequences :

• E-liquids would be taxed like tobacco.

• Specialised shops would have to obtain a state licence, which is costly and uncertain.

• Consumers would lose access to online purchases, which currently account for nearly a third of the French market.

Such a framework would kill the very spirit of vaping : freedom of choice, innovation, and independence from Big Tobacco.

This would be a serious blow to millions of former smokers who have chosen vaping to free themselves from tobacco, and to professionals who have been committed to risk reduction for more than ten years.

WHY SWITZERLAND WILL NOT FOLLOW THIS PATH

The question naturally arises: is such a scenario possible in Switzerland?

The answer is no... or at least, not under these conditions.

Balanced regulations already in place

Since October 2024, the Tobacco Products and Electronic Cigarettes Act (LPTab) has established a clear framework :

• Sale to minors is prohibited.

• Labelling and composition are strictly regulated.

• Online sales are permitted, provided that the purchaser's age is verified. Importantly, traditional cigarettes can also be sold online in Switzerland, unlike in France.

• A tax applies only to nicotine products and remains separate from that on conventional tobacco.

In other words, Switzerland regulates vaping as an everyday product to be regulated, not as a threat to be eliminated.

A WORD FROM SWEETCH

At Sweetch, we believe in free, responsible and transparent vaping. We closely follow developments in European and French legislation, as well as Swiss efforts to preserve safe and sensible access to vaping.

Our mission remains the same :

• to support every smoker in finding a healthier alternative,

• to advocate for clear, scientific information,

• and to guarantee the quality of products and service for all vapers in Switzerland.

Vaping is not the enemy, but one of the best tools to quit smoking.

 

Thank you for reading.

The Sweetch team

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