The Minister of Health, François Braun, declared himself on Sunday in favor of the banning of “puffs”, disposable electronic cigarettes popular with young people, but plans to open up to pharmacists the prescription of certain nicotine substitutes in the form of electronic cigarettes. “We must ban puffs (which) do nothing to get out of smoking,” said François Braun to the Grand Jury RTL-LCI-Le Figaro, while deputies hope to vote for this ban at the start of the school year.
“On the other hand, nicotine replacement therapy to quit smoking, yes, you have to maintain it. “It’s a prescription, moreover, I plan to open this possibility of prescription also to pharmacists who are confronted with these smokers who want to quit”, developed the Minister.
This prescription will exclude puffs, “these colored products” which “bring young people to tobacco”, according to him, but will concern “nicotinic substitutes with electronic cigarettes”, which, they “allow a gradual reduction in the consumption of nicotine and ‘stop smoking “. Asked about a possible refund, the minister replied that the subject was “on the table as part of the government’s next anti-tobacco plan”, planned for the period 2023-2028.
He also said he wanted to tax “all tobacco products, such as hot tobacco or chewing tobacco, the same” as the pack of cigarettes.