Tobacconists do not respect the ban on the sale of tobacco to minors in France

A study by the National Committee against Smoking (CNCT), published today[1], shows that too many French tobacconists still fail to comply with the ban on selling tobacco to under-18s. The results indicate that 64% of tobacconists agree to sell tobacco to minors. In towns with more than 15,000 inhabitants, the law is even less well respected, where nearly eight out of ten tobacconists sell to minors under 17.

The study was conducted in November 2021 among a representative sample of 403 tobacco outlets in order to assess whether the ban on sales to minors is applied by tobacconists. The results highlight that this measure, implemented in 2003 (for those under 16) and extended in 2009 to all minors under 18, is widely flouted by professionals in the sector.

Overall non-compliance with legislation despite awareness-raising efforts among tobacconists

The survey shows that tobacconists have very little respect for the provisions of the law. Thus, only 15% of them asked for an identity document from the teenager who came to buy a packet of cigarettes, even though they are supposed to check the age of their customers. In 2021, 64% of tobacconists agreed to sell tobacco to minors under 17. A result comparable to that of the previous survey conducted in 2019 (65%). The sales ban measure is significantly less well respected in towns with more than 15,000 inhabitants, where 77% of tobacconists agree to sell to a minor (compared to 52% in towns with less than 3,500 inhabitants).

In addition to looking at compliance with the ban on sales to minors, the study also verified whether tobacconists were complying with their obligation to display compliant, visible and legible signage reminding people of the ban on the sale of tobacco products to minors. Here again, the results are worrying: only 42% of the tobacconists inspected complied with the obligation to have a compliant, visible and legible sign, compared to half during the previous survey in 2019.

The CNCT indicates in its study that it has carried out information and awareness-raising efforts among retailers, as part of a project financed by the Fund to Combat Addictions, in partnership with the National Union of Family Associations (UNAF) and the public authorities: Directorate General of Health and Interministerial Mission to Combat Drugs and Addictive Behavior. Thus, an information and awareness-raising document was distributed twice in 2021 to all tobacconists reminding them of the obligation to display a visible and legible official sign, recalling the principle of prohibition, the systematic control of the customer's age and the refusal of the sale if the customer cannot prove that they are of legal age.

The association regrets that despite this work, "The levels of infringement remain at unacceptable levels."

Towards a strengthening of controls and a hardening of sanctions

The CNCT proposes a series of recommendations to change the situation. Among them, the continuation of controls and the toughening of sanctions against offenders by including the possibility of administrative closure in the event of repeat offenses. The association recommends an automated check of the identity document, proving the majority of the buyer, for the sale of tobacco which would also work for the sale of alcohol, vaping products and gambling.

The CNCT also intends to train municipal police officers authorized to act to ensure compliance with the measure prohibiting sales to minors and calls for consideration of raising the age of sale to 21. This measure has proven itself in several other countries by making access to tobacco products and initiation more difficult.

Keywords: CNCT, sales ban, minors, tobacco, tobacconists, France, sanctions

©Generation Without Tobacco

AE