Ban Tobacco Free Nicotine Pouches Probably Expand Black Market

Dank Smoke: According to BAT France’s official website on September 24th, during a hearing held in the French National Assembly, British American Tobacco France told lawmakers that relying solely on bans and taxes for ideological tobacco control methods has limitations, believing that such policies will promote the illegal market and cannot sustainably reduce smoking. ​

Core highlights:

Policy questioning:

British American Tobacco France opposes the tobacco control model of “ban+high tax”, believing that the smoking rate in France exceeding 30% proves the questionable effect of increasing taxes and reducing smoking, and that high taxes promote structural and industrial smuggling; Oppose the ban on tobacco free nicotine pouches, stating that the ban will promote the black market and harm public health and the protection of minors. ​

Case studies from other countries:

Taking Sweden and New Zealand as examples, it is said that the two countries have effectively reduced smoking rates through “clear regulations+strict control” measures, providing reference direction for France. ​

Suggestion:

Three tobacco regulatory recommendations are proposed, including prohibiting the sale of tobacco related products to minors, strictly controlling smokeless nicotine products, and imposing severe penalties for illegal activities. ​

Appeal:

Call on the French government to take responsibility, uphold the principle of reducing the harm of smoking, refer to scientific data and regulations from other countries, and enable adult smokers to legally obtain tobacco alternatives to regulate alternative bans.

S é bastien Charbonneau, Director of Public and Regulatory Affairs at the company, pointed out that the current smoking rate in France still exceeds 30%, questioning the effectiveness of “increasing taxes to effectively reduce the number of smokers” and stating that excessive tax policies have mainly led to structural and industrial privatization.

Regarding the government’s announcement of a ban on tobacco free nicotine pouches, British American Tobacco France believes that this move will exacerbate the problem, citing that “product bans often breed an active black market”, which is not conducive to public health and weakens the protection of minors, and there are precedents to prove it. ​
At the same time, the company mentioned cases in countries such as Sweden and New Zealand, stating that these countries have reduced smoking rates through clear regulations and strict control measures. British American Tobacco France has proposed a policy proposal that combines compromise and responsibility, including banning the sale of tobacco related products to minors, strictly regulating smokeless nicotine products (including controlling sales points, limiting nicotine content and taste), and imposing penalties for illegal activities. ​

Sebastian Shabono called on the government to take moral responsibility, uphold the principle of reducing the harm of smoking, enable adult smokers to legally obtain tobacco alternatives, and refer to scientific data and regulations that help other countries achieve public health goals. ​