French lawmakers approve tobacco sale ban for a generation

The National Assembly's commission on social affairs has approved an amendment known as "generation without tobacco," which aims to permanently prohibit the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. This would mean that French citizens born from that date onward would never be allowed to buy tobacco, even after reaching adulthood.

Ban set to take effect in 2027

If the amendment is finalized, it would become illegal from January 1, 2027, to sell tobacco to anyone born from January 1, 2009. This would expand on the current rule that prohibits the sale of tobacco to minors, effectively banning the purchase of tobacco for a new generation of adults.

Proposal aligns with health recommendations

The amendment was introduced by ecologist Nicolas Thierry and is in line with a recommendation from the National Health Insurance Fund. The fund suggests banning tobacco sales to generations that have not yet started smoking, based on the idea that many people begin smoking during adolescence. Marie-Charlotte Garin, an ecologist deputy, said the ban would help "create new habits."

New tax on non-compliant tobacco sellers

The measure also introduces a 5% social contribution on the revenue from manufactured tobacco products, but only for resellers who do not comply with the ban. This tax would be used to fund public health policies and smoking prevention efforts.

Inspired by other countries' policies

Marie-Charlotte Garin noted that the United Kingdom and the Maldives have already implemented similar bans, and she believes France can follow suit. She aims to send a message to the tobacco industry and retailers, encouraging them to shift their economic models.

Skepticism about legal challenges

Thibault Bazin, the general rapporteur for the Social Security budget, expressed doubt about the amendment's legality. He warned that the Constitutional Council might rule the ban a "legislative rider," meaning it could be seen as unrelated to the main bill and thus be struck down.