An investigation into the role of tobacco companies in the rise of new products in France

The documentary "Smoked - I Infiltrated the Vaping Industry," directed by investigative journalist Manon de Couët, offers an investigation into the tobacco industry's push for new products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.[1]. He analyzes how vaping is experiencing rapid growth in France, with nearly 3.6 million users and a strong increase among young people and non-smokers, even as traditional smoking is declining, particularly among young people.. Initially presented as an alternative to tobacco, the e-cigarette market is now largely controlled by major tobacco companies that circumvent the law and rely on marketing strategies targeting young and even very young audiences. This dynamic is raising growing concerns about the health risks of vaping and the need to adapt the current regulatory framework. The documentary has been available since Wednesday, January 7, on france.tv and on the YouTube channel "Slash enquêtes".

The tobacco industry supports the rise in vaping by any means possible.

The electronic cigarette was initially presented as an "alternative" to combustible tobacco—which remains the leading cause of premature and preventable death in France, with approximately 75,000 deaths per year—a tool for smokers wishing to quit. However, vaping is not clearly defined as a smoking cessation tool, unlike proven methods such as nicotine replacement therapies (gum, sprays, patches, etc.) combined with cognitive behavioral therapy, or prescription medications like varenicline and bupropion to reduce nicotine cravings. While these safe treatments are covered by health insurance and are intended for limited use over time, vaping products are at the patient's expense and are not without health risks. Furthermore, they perpetuate nicotine addiction.

Indeed, between 2017 and 2023, the number of vapers more than doubled, and it almost tripled among 17-year-olds. According to the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT), 64% of French 18-24 year olds have already tried e-cigarettes, and 8.7% of French 25-35 year olds vape daily. This trend is part of a broader context of strong growth in the French market, which has increased by approximately 75% over the last three years, reflecting a growing acceptance of vaping products.

Today, a significant share of this market (approximately 15% of the market) is held by tobacco companies such as British American Tobacco (owner of Vogue and Lucky Strike), Imperial Brands (Gauloises and Gitanes), and Philip Morris International (Philip Morris and Marlboro). These companies have misappropriated health concepts, particularly that of "harm reduction," to improve their severely tarnished image and even to present themselves as proactive players in the fight against the tobacco epidemic. In this context, they have been marketing an increasing number of nicotine products in recent years, of varying types (heated tobacco, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, hybrid products, etc.), all lumped together under the concept of reduced-risk products in order to reassure consumers and discourage them from quitting.

As a reminder, electronic cigarettes (with brands like Vuse, Blu, Veev, etc.) are nicotine products without tobacco and therefore do not have the same components and health risks as heated tobacco products (with brands like IQOS, glo, Ploom, lil, etc.), which are tobacco products and thus have a toxicity comparable to cigarettes. Ignoring their significant differences in health risks, manufacturers deliberately classify both products as "harm reduction" tools in order to give heated tobacco the same boost that electronic cigarettes have experienced.

However, they continue to derive the bulk of their enormous profits from the sale of traditional tobacco cigarettes and to systematically oppose any measure likely to reduce the consumption of traditional tobacco.

Despite legal proceedings initiated by public health associations, such as the CNCT's conviction of Philip Morris France (PMF) and Philip Morris Products (PMP) for illegal tobacco advertising for its heated tobacco device, IQOS, Employees of Philip Morris France explained to the journalist that their employer is taking advantage of the legal proceedings against it lasting for years to continue their marketing at points of sale while awaiting the final decision.

Aggressive marketing strategies to trivialize a product that is dangerous to health

The journalist's investigation, in the form of an infiltration of the Philip Morris France headquarters in La Défense, highlights the actions deployed to promote the tobacco company's new products, particularly among young adults: presence in festive places, targeted campaigns, use of social networks and influencers, as well as lobbying actions with public authorities.

The documentary also examines the composition of electronic cigarettes. Researchers interviewed highlight the presence of potentially harmful substances, such as carcinogenic compounds or heavy metals, and call for a thorough assessment of the health risks associated with these products.

Furthermore, current scientific research reports pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neurological disorders, as well as memory, sleep, and anxiety problems, that can result from vaping. Moreover, nicotine is the most difficult drug to quit, being extremely addictive, very quickly addictive, and readily available everywhere.

An independent study conducted by several European research institutes, reinforced by a systematic review of the literature, identified 1,740 substances in electronic cigarettes., of which 134 were deemed extremely harmful, including carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic, chronic exposure toxic, respiratory irritant or endocrine disruptor compounds, some combining several of these effects.

Through this investigation, Manon de Couët seeks to raise public awareness and responsibility regarding the health risks of e-cigarettes, but above all to highlight the misinformation and manipulation tactics employed by an industry seeking new, increasingly younger, and non-smoking customers. The proportion of vapers in France who have never smoked is relatively small, but nevertheless represented 2.8% of daily vapers in 2024. Products easily accessible to minors mean early nicotine addiction and therefore long-term e-cigarette use, or even a transition to other nicotine products due to a "gateway effect": consumption data highlights that a significant proportion of e-cigarette users continue to smoke, which does not reduce the risks for smokers but rather tends to exacerbate them.

For their part, public health organizations like the CNCT point out that only the strict application of measures such as the introduction of taxation, the removal of flavorings, the introduction of neutral packaging, the control of supply with an accreditation for stores that sell these products, the prohibition of online sales, but also the respect of existing provisions such as the prohibition of their sale to minors as well as all advertising and promotion can make it possible to stem the development of these products.

©Generation Without Tobacco

AD

[1]«"Smoke-filled. I infiltrated the vaping industry."», France Télévisions, published on December 4, 2025, accessed on January 9, 2026

National Committee Against Smoking |