Over 100.000 people have signed a French petition calling for the government to rethink its proposed vape tax in just three days. The petition has over 127.000 signatures at the time of writing.
The proposed budget legislation would redefine vaping products as “tobacco”, impose hefty taxes (30 €/litre for low-nicotine liquids; 50 €/litre for higher doses) plus 20 % VAT, ban online sales and force specialised stores to become “authorised establishments” under customs supervision.
“In the name of four million vapers who have freed themselves from the scourge of tobacco; in the name of 20,000 workers in the independent French vaping sector; we ask you – dear elected officials – to save vaping” the petition concludes. Four million people in France vape.
“Stop making mistakes by attacking vaping, an effective tool to end smoking!” pleased Professor Bertrand Dautzenberg, pioneer of France’s 2013 vaping report, quoted on the website of French trade association FIVAPE.
French budget woes
The question of the French budget has plagued the country’s politics since President Emmanuel Macron called a snap election last year. Three successive Prime Ministers have tried and failed to pass a budget bill through the National Assembly.
France’s debt has swollen to roughly 110 % of GDP, and rating agencies are starting to mutter the word “downgrade.” Investors are demanding higher yields to buy French bonds — a polite way of saying they don’t trust Paris to fix its finances.
Pouches left out
But in a blow to pouch users, the petition fails to mention the French government’s plan to criminalize the possession of nicotine pouches.
“If consumers and advocates of much safer alternatives to deadly cigarettes can not join hands, the risk is that neither succeed in changing the French government stance” said bengt Wiberg, founder of Sting Free Snus and the EUforSnus movement.
“Vapers and pouch users should celebrate that most of all have quit smoking for good and work together, not go our separate ways”.
