I live in France, which is a blessed country when it comes to vaping (for now, fingers crossed!). No crazy tax or Big-Tobacco-friendly ban, the only market-wide restriction on regular products is that vape sites cannot advertise (even by mailing-lists). And as French regulations (AFNOR) are even stricter than the EU ones we only get quality products with no insane additives. And, lo and behold, no puffs and no juice with more than 20 mg/ml nicotine. The only ban in France is the sanest one!
Most sites have a loyalty program (every 5 or 10 euros grant €1 rebate on a next order) and free shipping past €30/35. And they all have a lot of choice from beginner material to maniac hardware. Juices, consumables, DIY, pods, rebuildables, mods, you name it.
Of course it's not perfect (hint: it never is!). Puff vendors have found a loophole and sell "false refillables" like Wilo (2ml tank, 10ml bottle glued to the vape, vape locks up when the bottle is empty). But they struggle selling those because their target customers prefer buying pod systems with pre-filled pods. And even these lo-fi products must comply with the strict AFNOR regulations.
The French market is protected by FIVAPE, an Independent Trade Association. It represents the entire supply chain of the French vaping ecosystem, from e-liquid labs to local vape shops. Unlike some vaping groups in the US that might include or accept funding from major tobacco corporations, FIVAPE has a strict independence rule. You cannot be a member if your business is tied to the traditional cigarette industry. They represent the 85% of the French market that is entirely independent.
We're lucky enough to have a government that encompasses vaping in a "Public Health & Consumer-First Approach". In France, vaping is widely viewed by doctors and authorities as a legitimate smoking cessation tool (harm reduction). FIVAPE doesn't lobby just for corporate profits; they heavily focus on product safety standards (they co-created the first ISO/AFNOR quality standards for e-liquids in the world) and advocate for vapers' rights to access flavors as a way to stay away from smoking.
Think of it as the equivalent of standard US Trade Groups, but highly influential; a hybrid between the VTA (Vapor Technology Association) and a guild, but with no ties to tobacco industry and a much stronger direct access to the French Parliament, as proven by their success in killing the 2026 vape tax. 💪
I'm not posting this to gloat. I'm thankful for how the situation has turned so far, and I'm hoping France can lead by example and improve other countries' policies. Stay strong wherever you are, and nag your reps with constructive suggestions. We are the proof it can work, let's put it to good use.
With love, from France.