Sale of tobacco and puffs to minors in France, what are the figures?

On the occasion of the third edition of the " Prize 5.3: for policies without tobacco and without lobbying ", the National Committee against Smoking (CNCT) presented the results of its latest study on the accessibility of tobacco and nicotine products among minors. The association shows high levels of infringement, particularly in the tobacconist network, where tobacco and vaping products remain too accessible.

The CNCT study aims to assess the extent to which the ban on the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes to minors is being respected, in vaping stores as well as in the tobacconist network. In addition, the survey seeks to understand how minors obtain their supplies, for vaping products, but also for tobacco products.

Representative samples to assess the accessibility of products to minors

To answer these two questions, the CNCT set up a dual survey system. On the one hand, the study is based on the methodology of "mystery shopper" visits, with a 17-year-old minor purchasing the requested products and an adult standing aside checking compliance with the regulations, with a representative sample of 405 tobacco stores and 203 vaping stores, located throughout the national territory, between August 21 and October 3, 2023. On the other hand, an online questionnaire was submitted to a representative sample of 503 17-year-olds, between September 27 and October 4, 2023, in order to better understand the methods in which minors obtain tobacco and vaping products.

41% tobacconists sell puffs to minors

The survey results first highlight that the ban on the sale of puffs to minors is very poorly respected. Thus, 41% of tobacconists and 28% of vape shops agree to sell disposable e-cigarettes to 17-year-olds, despite the illegal nature of such practices. Furthermore, ID was only requested in 16% of cases at tobacconists, and 18% of cases at a vape shop.

Puff: No age control for 86% minors

According to the survey conducted by the Audirep Institute for the CNCT, tobacconists are the preferred means of supply for young people to get started with puffing (excluding cases where the person was introduced for free by a friend). The online survey also shows that 86% of young vapers were not subject to any checks in the twelve months preceding the survey (80% in specialist stores and 93% in non-specialist stores). Overall, more than two-thirds of the young people surveyed believe that the ban on the sale of vaping products is not respected in France (67%).

Tobacco: no age control for 81% 17-year-olds

A similar observation is made for tobacco products, since tobacconists are the preferred means of supply for young people to start smoking (apart from obtaining it for free from a friend). This network is also preferred by minors to buy tobacco, since 74% of them obtained it through this channel in the last 12 months preceding the survey. Contrary to what the Confédération des buralistes may suggest, illegal purchases are the least used means by young people to obtain tobacco: 5% purchased it through this channel more than six times in the last twelve months. Overall, 68% of the young people surveyed consider that the ban on the sale of tobacco to minors is not respected, while 81% of young smokers say that they have never been checked on their age by a tobacconist in the last twelve months, when they wanted to buy tobacco.

Controls, sanctions, conditional aid: the CNCT’s recommendations

For the CNCT, the results of this survey are "worrying" and should be linked to the general lack of compliance of tobacconists with regard to the regulations on tobacco and nicotine products, beyond the ban on sales to minors. Indeed, the various CNCT observatories report "high levels of infringement concerning advertising of tobacco and nicotine at the point of sale, and aggressive and illegal marketing of nicotine sachets and pearls". Faced with this observation, the association makes several recommendations, such as the strengthening of controls and sanctions, which could go as far as the temporary or permanent suspension of licenses, but also a real conditionality of the aid paid to tobacconists to the compliance of the regulations by the latter.

Keywords: Sale to minors, Tobacconists, Puff, Tobacco

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