France is at a crossroads in tobacco control. While policymakers debate tighter restrictions on safer nicotine products, combustible cigarettes continue to kill an estimated 75,000 people each year. Against that backdrop, the key question is not whether vaping is entirely risk free, but whether it meaningfully reduces harm compared to smoking. The evidence indicates that it does.
A recent scientific assessment by ANSES, based on nearly 3,000 studies and international reports, has been widely cited as a warning about potential cardiovascular, respiratory and possible cancer related risks of e-cigarettes. The agency said that the absence of combustion does not mean zero exposure, and highlighted that users may inhale aldehydes and other irritants, while nicotine itself can raise heart rate and blood pressure.
However, the most important conclusion is often underplayed. ANSES made clear that the absence of combustion, meaning the burning of tobacco that produces thousands of toxic byproducts, is the principal health advantage of vaping. Its expert panel stated that the overall risks of e-cigarettes are lower than those of smoking. For anyone focused on tobacco harm reduction, that distinction is fundamental.
Most vapers are former or current smokers
France now counts more than three million daily vapers, around six percent of the population. Nearly one third have been vaping for more than four years, suggesting that many former smokers are maintaining their switch rather than using vaping briefly. Crucially, ANSES reported that only about 2 percent of adult vapers have never smoked. Vaping in France is therefore overwhelmingly concentrated among current and former smokers, the very group that benefits from moving away from combustible tobacco. This pattern reflects findings elsewhere.
Reviews by Public Health England and later updates from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities have consistently concluded that vaping exposes users to far fewer toxic substances than cigarettes. The Royal College of Physicians has also warned that excessive restrictions on safer nicotine products could unintentionally sustain smoking by discouraging switching.
Vapes for smoking cessation
Even ANSES acknowledged that vapes can help smokers quit, particularly those who have not succeeded with traditional nicotine replacement therapies. This aligns with clinical research, including randomised trials showing higher quit rates with vaping compared to gum or lozenges. The practical message is clear. For smokers who cannot or do not wish to quit nicotine entirely, switching to a non combustible product substantially reduces exposure to the chemicals responsible for cancer, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung conditions.
Youth uptake remains a sensitive issue. A 2023 survey cited by ANSES found that among 13 to 17 year olds who vape, nearly one third had never smoked or had only experimented once. Protecting young people is essential, and this requires age verification, responsible marketing and enforcement against illegal sales. Yet it is equally important not to undermine adult harm reduction by treating all nicotine use as equally dangerous.
Restrictions and high prices are pushing users underground
Banned in 2025, disposable vapes continue to circulate through online platforms and informal retail. Among lower income groups and younger men, buying outside official channels has become common. Price was cited far more often than convenience as the main reason. Even when participants acknowledged that illicit products might pose greater risks, financial pressures frequently outweighed safety concerns.
This illustrates a recurring problem. When safer nicotine products are restricted or stigmatised, many consumers do not simply quit. Instead, they look elsewhere, weakening regulatory oversight and potentially increasing risk. Experts in the field have long highlighted that harm reduction functions best within a clear legal framework that sets product standards, ensures quality control and keeps sales within authorised channels.
Public understanding remains a challenge. ANSES itself observed that many French citizens believe vaping is as harmful as, or more harmful than, smoking. That perception is not supported by the weight of current evidence and may deter smokers from switching, prolonging exposure to combustible tobacco.
The balanced way forward
France continues to face a heavy smoking burden. Cigarettes remain the leading cause of preventable death nationwide. In this context, the meaningful comparison is not between vaping and perfect health, but between vaping and continued smoking.
A balanced strategy is entirely possible. Enforce strict youth protections, maintain high product standards, support ongoing research and communicate risks accurately. At the same time, recognise that eliminating combustion dramatically reduces toxic exposure. For millions of smokers, access to regulated, lower risk alternatives can translate into substantial health gains.
If France aims to reduce smoking related disease, policy should reflect relative risk and real world behaviour. Treating all nicotine products as the same ignores the central role of combustion in driving harm. Evidence based tobacco harm reduction offers a pragmatic path forward, one that protects young people while giving adult smokers a credible route away from the most dangerous form of nicotine use.
Europe’s Tobacco Crossroads: Will France Lead or Lag Behind?
