France: More than 200 influencers have promoted nicotine on Instagram since 2019

According to a report by the Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT), a total of 229 influencers promoted vaping devices and nicotine pouches to the French-speaking Instagram community through 948 posts between 2019 and 2024. More than 24 million people, mostly young people, were reached by these posts. These posts concern the e-cigarette brands Vuse (formerly Vype) and Blu, and nicotine pouches. Bike[1].

An illicit advertising phenomenon targeting young people

Since the Evin Law of 1991, reinforced by consistent case law, all advertising, direct or indirect, for tobacco products has been prohibited on all media. This legal framework has been transposed since 2016 to vaping devices, with the exception of strictly regulated advertising authorized at points of sale. Law No. 2023-451 of June 9, 2023, aimed at regulating commercial influence and combating influencer abuses on social media, has reiterated that any promotion of products containing nicotine by influencers is illegal. Several recent court decisions, resulting from actions brought by the National Committee against Smoking, have confirmed the illegality of promoting vaping devices on digital channels.

As smoking rates fall among French adolescents (15,130 daily smokers among 17-year-olds, a 10-point drop in 5 years), the tobacco industry has developed and launched new nicotine products targeting young people with a view to sustaining its sales. With this in mind, the ACT conducted a survey between 2019 and 2024 of 948 illegal promotional posts that reached more than 24 million people. Numerous strategies were identified on Instagram, a social network used by 80,130 members of Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2012).

An analysis corroborated by the CNCT[2], which, throughout 2024, monitored the online activity of twenty brands of tobacco and nicotine products (heated tobacco, vaping, nicotine pouches, etc.), through systematic monitoring of different digital communication channels: social networks (X, Facebook, Instagram), SMS and newsletters, websites. In total, the observatory identified 668 illegal advertising insertions for the year 2024 alone; it also highlights an increase in advertising actions towards nicotine pouches, which represent more than 40% of the advertising insertions noted on social networks that year.

Competitions, influencer partnerships, exclusive events…

The ACT investigation uncovers numerous tobacco industry strategies. Since 2019, 229 influencers have promoted brands like Vuse, Blu, and VELO without always indicating that their posts were sponsored. Manufacturers also conduct sampling campaigns, sending free products to nano- and micro-influencers (1,000 to 20,000 followers), often from the worlds of lifestyle, beauty, or product testing. Their proximity to their followers allows for subtle and indirect promotion, even among non-smokers, to recruit new consumers and ensure the industry's profitability.

In addition, the ACT identified 214 publications—mostly since 2023—from the manufacturer British American Tobacco for its VELO brand. These publications, with colorful visuals and eye-catching tones, promote contests and offer attractive prizes (consoles, speakers, headphones), with the hashtags #etçapicote and #VELOToujoursAvecVous. These posts reached 114,840 people according to the ACT.[3].

Finally, cigarette companies are partnering with musical and cultural events to position themselves in the youth lifestyle. In January-February 2020, Blu invited 52 influencers to popular events, including personalities followed by a large young audience, often using the hashtag #Myblucommunity. Similarly, VELO collaborated with drag queen @Catherinepinotnoir at the Cannes Film Festival and during the winter closing of the Folie Douce des Arcs, thus targeting a young and connected audience through influential figures. This presence in 2019-2020 was denounced by the CNCT in its observatories, which noted how the industry offers concert or sporting event tickets to influencers in exchange for posting posts and videos about their products.[4].

ACT calls for an immediate ban on these practices

Marion Catellin, Director of ACT, commented: “It is unacceptable that the tobacco industry continues to circumvent the law to promote its products on social media, with complete impunity. Their goal is not to create a “smoke-free world,” but to attract young people and make them addicted to nicotine […] Faced with an industry ready to do anything to further expand its harmful market for nicotine addiction, it is necessary to adopt radical measures to curb its seduction strategies. The government’s recent decision to ban nicotine pouches and all future innovations containing this drug must come into force as soon as possible.”. »

The ACT therefore calls on the public authorities to take measures to put an end to the illegal promotion of vaping and nicotine products, such as banning the marketing of nicotine products for oral use (pouches, balls) and any associated advertising or promotion, by accelerating the implementation of the banning decree after the 3-month period following the government's notification to the EU on February 25, 2025. The Alliance also calls for strengthening the application of the ban on advertising and promotion of vaping and nicotine products included in the Public Health Code and Law No. 2023-451 and increasing the penalties for non-compliance with these provisions, currently limited to a €100,000 fine for advertising vaping products and €300,000 and 2 years in prison for violating the law of June 9, 2023.

Some concrete measures are already in action, such as the pouches that are targeted by the government[5]At the end of February, Health Minister Yannick Neuder announced a draft decree banning their production, importation and distribution in mainland France and overseas, due to their toxicity, addictive and attractive nature, according to a joint study by the INC and the CNCT.[6]. In addition, the ban on "puffs," disposable electronic cigarettes popular among young people, came into effect on February 25 after the law was passed by Parliament.

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[1] France Info, Tobacco: More than 200 influencers have promoted nicotine vapes or pouches on Instagram since 2019, denounces the Alliance Against Tobacco, published March 11, 2025, accessed March 11, 2025

[2] National Committee against Smoking, New tobacco and nicotine products 2025, 28 pages, published February 25, 2025, accessed March 11, 2025

[3] Alliance against tobacco, How the Tobacco Industry Uses Social Media to Attract Teens – Decryption, March 11, 2025, 12 pages

[4] National Committee against Smoking, New tobacco and nicotine products – Market developments through advertising in France 2020-2022, 40 pages, published February 10, 2023, accessed March 11, 2025

[5] France Bleu, Health: 229 influencers have promoted vapes or nicotine pouches since 2019, an illegal practice, published March 11, 2025, accessed March 11, 2025

[6] National Committee against Smoking, CNCT calls for ban on nicotine pouches sold illegally in France and files complaint, published May 29, 2024, accessed March 11, 2025

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