“We took up vaping because it was cheaper… Now vapers are up in arms about the new tax on e-liquids.”

In recent years, many adults in France have chosen the path of vape as a way out of the tobacco circle, convinced that electronic cigarettes offer a cheaper, healthier alternative. However, the arrival of a new taxon vape liquids could well upset this economic calculation. The current state of the vaping market is in turmoil, with vapers feeling caught between budget, health and political decisions.

Testimony of a vapoteur

“I used to smoke a pack of standard cigarettes a day,” says Jula*, 38, a former smoker: “I switched to e-cigarettes three years ago because they were much cheaper, and I was able to reduce my nicotine intake. Today, I use a bottle ofe-liquid every week. And now they want to tax us again? I’m really angry.

Julia embodies this new generation of vapoteur who believed that vape offered an economic and health solution to traditional smoking. But in the 2025/2026 tax context, this dynamic is undermined.

A tax announced for the 2026 budget

The French government is considering a law that would introduce a specific tax on vaping products – notablye-liquid bottles. According to several sources, the amount envisaged would be between €0.03 and €0.05 per milliliter, depending on nicotine content.
This measure comes on top of growing pressure on the vape sector, aligned with that exerted for years on tobacco. Vapoteurs denounce a “bad sign”: imposing a burden when vape has enabled millions of smokers to reduce or stop smoking altogether.

Why did they choose vape?

On paper, the argument is simple: electronic cigarettes offer an alternative to combustible tobacco, which is often more expensive and more harmful. By choosing vape, smokers hope to reduce their budget, while improving their health and limiting the side effects associated with smoking.
Julien sums it up: “I got help to stop smoking. Vape gave me that answer“.
This switch from conventional cigarettes to electronics had also been encouraged by studies showing that vape could reduce the risks associated with smoking, even if it was not totally harmless.

The market shaken by taxation

The vape market has seen its boom years. Products (kits, e-liquids, puffs) have invaded shelves, stores and websites. Young people have, some say, been seduced by disposable formats(puffs) or varied flavors – prompting the state to intervene. Generation NT+1
But while vape was perceived as an alternative to tobacco, this new tax quickly aroused hostility. Vapoteurs fear a rebound effect: that their budget will increase, that vape will become less accessible, and that some will give up e-cigarettes… to return to tobacco.

What’s at stake for vapers

Price is at the heart of the concerns: a 10 ml bottle ofe-liquid used to cost between €4 and €7, but with the tax, this extra cost could reach €0.30 to €0.50 – which puts a strain on the annual budget of a vapoteur consuming 60 ml a month. ladepeche.fr+1
In addition to the economic dimension, there’s the health dimension. Vaping is recognized as an alternative to tobacco foradult smokers. According to some professionals, taxing e-liquids is tantamount to penalizing this risk-reduction dynamic. oliquide.com+1
Finally, theenvironment and traceability of electronic products also enter the debate: disposable formats, the arrival of puffs and parallel sales networks open the door to uncontrolled practices.

How do players respond?

Associations and players in the vape industry are sounding the alarm: penalizing vape is tantamount to encouraging people to return to smoking, which goes against the logic of public health. In fact, smoking kills almost 200 people every day in France. eVaps
The debate is therefore at a crossroads: on the one hand, theState‘s budgetary logic, and on the other, that of the health and lives of millions of smokers and vapoteurs.

In conclusion: quit smoking and look to the future

For many, the electronic cigarette has been not only an economical alternative but also a tool towards freedom from conventional cigarettes. As the context changes and the tax looms, it may be useful to remember that there are also complementary methods for quitting smoking.
The auricular reflexologyoffered by MyLaserTabaccompany, is one such method: by stimulating specific points in the ear, it helps to get rid of nicotine, addiction and smoking, while bringing both health and economic benefits (reduced tobacco budget ). Quitting cigarettes is an investment in your life, not just a financial gain.