The CNCT supports the proposal to extend plain packaging to all tobacco and vaping products.

In the National Assembly, MPs Nicolas Thierry (The Greens) and Pierre Cazeneuve (Together for the Republic), alongside the National Committee Against Smoking (CNCT), presented a cross-party bill aimed at generalizing "plain and standardized" packaging to all tobacco and vaping products.[1].

Included in the National Tobacco Control Programme (2023–2027), this measure aims to limit the use of packaging for promotional purposes, particularly among young people.

Dangerous and addictive products that target young people

On the one hand, only traditional cigarettes and rolling tobacco are affected by the introduction of plain packaging, which has been in effect since 1^er January 2017. The CNCT called for this measure to be extended to other tobacco products such as heated tobacco and hookah, whose toxicity and appeal to young people are also recognized.

On the other hand, this initiative comes amid a rise in e-cigarette use among young people. Recent data indicates widespread experimentation and a significant increase in daily use, raising concerns about the increased spread of nicotine consumption among adolescents. Indeed, according to the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT), 46% of French high school students had already tried e-cigarettes by 2024, while 6.8% reported using the product daily, representing an increase of 79% in just two years.

The issue is all the more important as nearly one in five middle school students report having already experimented with electronic cigarettes, highlighting the risk of a rapid development of a new nicotine epidemic among teenagers.

This growth stems primarily from the marketing strategies employed by manufacturers, which target a young audience. These strategies rely in particular on attractive packaging (bright and contrasting colors, dynamic visuals), inspired by everyday consumer products. Packaging is thus used as a "silent salesperson.".

A priority public health issue

The extension of plain packaging to other tobacco products (heated tobacco, shisha, etc.) seems inevitable in a context where smoking remains responsible for more than 68,000 premature deaths in 2023, representing 11% of total mortality, which still makes it the leading cause of premature and preventable death in France.[2].

Furthermore, experts from the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) have It was recently reiterated that vaping is not harmless, even without nicotine. This presents health risks, particularly respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological. Although studies do not yet have sufficient long-term data to draw all the conclusions, they have already pointed to probable effects of vaping on increased blood pressure and heart rate, as well as possible effects on COPD and carcinogenesis (a hypothesis also supported by an Australian study) and for pregnant women, on the cardiovascular and respiratory development of the fetus.

Nicotine itself is extremely addictive, even from the first few weeks of use.

Finally, scientific literature shows that a young vaper is two to four times more likely to use tobacco compared to a young non-vaper.

A proven and necessary preventative measure

The CNCT (National Committee Against Tobacco) reiterates that plain packaging has proven its effectiveness in terms of health and social welfare. Research conducted in France shows that plain packaging tends to reinforce negative opinions about smoking, notably by highlighting health warnings more effectively. These warnings prevent the use of packaging as an advertising medium and discourage manufacturers from suggesting that some products are less toxic than others. In doing so, they contribute to reducing smoking initiation and increasing attempts to quit among consumers.

Its expansion is thus part of a strategy of prevention and better regulation of nicotine products. It is supported by the Contre-Feu anti-smoking alliance, which brings together civil society organizations committed to the fight against smoking.[3].

The two MPs now hope that their measure will gain consensus among other parties in order to put it on the agenda of the National Assembly in June 2026.[4]. Plain packaging for tobacco products is becoming more widespread worldwide, and some countries, such as Israel, and Nordic countries, such as Denmark, have already introduced plain packaging for vaping products.

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[1]Generalization of plain packaging: the CNCT supports Nicolas Thierry's bill., National Committee Against Smoking, published on April 15, 2026, accessed on April 16, 2026

[2]Smoking in France: 68,000 avoidable deaths in 2023, an encouraging decrease but still too great a burden, Public Health France, published on February 16, 2026, accessed on April 17, 2026

[3]Electronic cigarettes: the new cash cow for manufacturers., Counter-Fire, published on April 14, 2026, accessed on April 16, 2026

[4]Electronic cigarettes: Two MPs want to impose plain packaging on vaping products, Le Monde, published April 15, 2026, accessed April 16, 2026

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