Yesterday (October 22), the Finance Committee of France’s National Assembly voted to reject the government’s proposed tax on vaping products outlined in the 2026 draft budget. The measure, included in Article 23, sought to introduce a levy of €0.30 per 10mL for low-nicotine e-liquids and €0.50 per 10mL for higher-nicotine products, a move strongly opposed by several deputies who cited vaping’s lower health risks compared to smoking.
Lawmakers across party lines defended vaping as a harm-reduction tool. Aurélien Le Coq of La France Insoumise argued that “electronic cigarettes, even if they carry risks, are much less harmful than tobacco,” suggesting the proposed tax reflected the influence of the tobacco lobby. Pierre Cazeneuve of Ensemble pour la République, speaking as a former smoker, also opposed the measure, saying that vaping plays a key role in helping people quit. However, Perrine Goulet of Les Démocrates countered that vaping could act as a “gateway to smoking for young people,” and supported moderate taxation to curb youth use.
The committee ultimately adopted an amendment from the Republican Right group to keep vape taxes at 0% for 2026, a partial win for the vaping industry. However, challenges remain: lawmakers approved a ban on online vape sales, which currently account for up to 30% of the French market, and the European Union is preparing to introduce a bloc-wide vape tax starting January 1, 2028. The decision will next move to the full Assembly for debate and confirmation in the coming weeks.