Ban on disposable puffs in France: what the law says

Since 26 February 2025, the manufacture, sale, distribution and free supply of disposable puffs (single-use pre-filled e-cigarettes) have been banned in France, under French law no. 2025-165 of 25 February 2025. Only rechargeable vaping devices remain permitted: those whose battery can be recharged and whose e-liquid reserve can be replaced or refilled. This article sets out what the law says, the products concerned and the characteristics of the devices that remain on sale.

What the law of 25 February 2025 says

The law banning single-use electronic vaping devices was passed unanimously by the French National Assembly in December 2023, then by the Senate in February 2024. Its promulgation was delayed by the notification procedure with the European Commission, which is compulsory for any national technical rule. The text was definitively adopted in February 2025 and published in the Journal officiel on 26 February 2025, the date it came into force, with no transition period for selling off stock.

The text amends the French Public Health Code. It defines the banned device by three cumulative criteria: an electronic vaping device, pre-filled, and non-rechargeable, meaning that neither the battery nor the liquid reserve can be renewed. The offence is punishable by a fine of €100,000.

The reasons given by the legislator are the accessibility of these products to minors (low price, flavours, format), the lack of recycling of the lithium batteries thrown away with the device, and the goal of a "tobacco-free generation" by 2032.

Banned products and permitted products

A device whose battery alone is rechargeable, but whose liquid reserve can be neither replaced nor refilled, remains a single-use product within the meaning of the law.

The framework common to all vaping products

The ban on disposables comes on top of the rules from European Directive 2014/40/EU (TPD), transposed into French law and applicable to all vaping products sold in France:

• tank or cartridge with a maximum capacity of 2 ml for pre-filled devices (10 ml for refill bottles and cartridges);
• nicotine concentration limited to 20 mg/ml;
• notification of the product to ANSES (the French health and safety agency) six months before it is placed on the market, with composition and emissions;
• health warning on the packaging of nicotine products;
• sale to minors prohibited and a ban on all advertising, direct or indirect.

The rechargeable puffs currently on sale

Manufacturers have adapted their ranges: most models sold today keep the format of a puff, with a USB-C rechargeable battery (900 to 1,000 mAh) and a renewable e-liquid reserve. Two systems coexist: the 2 ml tank (pod) that the user refills from the 10 ml bottles supplied in the box, and the sealed 2 ml cartridge that is replaced once empty. The stated puff count (30,000, 32,000, 50,000) covers all the liquid supplied, not a single tank or a single charge, and varies with the length and frequency of inhalations. Most models have adjustable airflow and a battery indicator.

References found in El-Badia's rechargeable puffs category, by way of example:

• Al Fakher Hypermax Prime 50K: 1,000 mAh battery, two interchangeable pods, 2 x 10 ml bottles supplied (20 ml in total), nicotine salts 6 mg/ml, 50,000 stated puffs, flavours taken from Al Fakher shisha tobaccos (mint, watermelon-kiwi, mango-pineapple, among others);
• Al Fakher Refill Pro 32K: 1,000 mAh battery, refillable pod, 2 x 10 ml bottles supplied, 6 mg/ml, 32,000 stated puffs;
• Al Fakher Hyper Max Advanced 30K: 950 mAh battery, replaceable sealed 2 ml cartridges, 0.6 Ω mesh coil, screen (liquid level, battery, counter), 30,000 stated puffs across all cartridges;
• Adalya Myvo 30K: refillable pod, 10 ml bottle supplied, nicotine salts 8 mg/ml, mesh coil, automatic draw activation, 30,000 stated puffs, flavours taken from Adalya shisha tobaccos.

Each product page states the capacity, nicotine strength, box contents and pod or cartridge compatibility. One brand's pods and cartridges are not compatible with another brand's battery.

Use and end of life

On a refillable pod system, refilling is done with a bottle of e-liquid of 10 ml maximum (refill bottles from the various brands are grouped in the e-liquids and cartridges category); the pod is replaced when the built-in coil wears out. On a sealed cartridge system, the empty cartridge is removed and replaced. In both cases, the battery is recharged with a standard USB-C cable, without disassembly.

At end of life, the battery falls under the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) scheme: it goes to a collection point or a retailer, never into household waste. Empty cartridges, made of plastic, follow household waste sorting according to local guidelines. Disposable puffs still owned by individuals are not banned from possession; they go to the same WEEE collection points.

Frequently asked questions

Since when have disposable puffs been banned in France?

Since 26 February 2025, the date French law no. 2025-165 of 25 February 2025 was published in the Journal officiel.

What is the difference between a rechargeable puff and a disposable puff?

The battery recharges via USB-C and the e-liquid reserve is replaced (cartridge) or refilled (tank). On a disposable, neither is possible.

Does a "50,000 puff" device hold 50,000 puffs in a single tank?

No. The figure covers all the liquid supplied with the device (for example 2 x 10 ml bottles), with a 2 ml tank refilled several times, and is a manufacturer's estimate.

Can you still buy disposable puffs online from abroad?

The ban applies to any sale or distribution on French territory, including distance selling. A site that ships disposable puffs to France is in breach of the law.

Where do you dispose of a puff?

At a WEEE collection point (recycling centre, in-store collection bin), never in a household bin, because of the lithium battery.