“Some tastes are very addictive”, warn young consumers in Marseille

How to prevent young people from starting to smoke? As franceinfo revealed on Monday February 13, the National Committee against Smoking (CNCT) is calling for the banning of flavors in all devices that contain nicotine, apart from tobacco. In a study published on Monday and which franceinfo was able to consult, the committee also calls on the authorities to better regulate the sale of these products. Carried by the multiplication of aromas, these products insist on their recreational dimension and minimize their addictive and toxic nature, underlines the CNCT, which insists that this plays “a central role in the normalization of nicotine”.

>> Ban on flavors in vaping products: the federation of the vape is “shocked” by this request

In an electronic cigarette shop in Marseille, hundreds of flavors are available. “I have mint stuff, explains the seller. I also have apple-raspberry as well as all the red fruits. I have so many that in slightly more exotic tastes, I can offer you cactus taste.” At this seller, the average age of smokers is around the twenties. “Inevitably, when it’s sweet, young people love it.”

In Marseille, you don’t have to look long to find very young vapers. Although the sale is prohibited to minors, many of them vape. This is the case of Morgane, a 14-year-old schoolgirl: “Me, I love everything that is red fruits and passion fruits. But you have to be careful, because some tastes are very addictive.”

“When I started smoking, the tastes made me want to smoke even more.”

Morgane, 14-year-old schoolgirl

at franceinfo

Banning aromas, a bad idea for the addiction federation

The National Anti-Smoking Committee is calling for these flavors to be banned for electronic cigarettes. In a study published on Monday, the committee calls on public authorities to ban flavorings other than tobacco for all products containing nicotine. He also pleads for better supervision of the sale of these products at retail. According to the CNCT, these products insist on their recreational dimension and minimize their addictive and toxic nature and this plays “a central role in the normalization of nicotine” especially among younger people.

Unlike the CNTC, other organizations are more cautious. “The fact of prohibiting can serve consumers in particular with misuse, emphasizes Alexandre Picard, head of the addiction federation. People will add flavors which are not intended for consumption and which can cause involuntary poisoning. It is better to supervise and secure the products we consume rather than an outright ban that is difficult to enforce. Several European countries have banned flavorings. This is the case, for example, of Denmark.
or from the Netherlandsas since January 1, 2023.