Banned puffs, still easy to find: why the parallel market persists

Since February 2025, disposable electronic cigarettes, better known as puffs, have been banned from sale in France. The measure was intended to protect younger people from a particularly appealing product, while addressing health and environmental concerns. Yet more than a year after they officially disappeared from the shelves, puffs are far from gone.

On social media, through informal resellers or through parallel supply chains, these devices are still circulating. A situation which shows that a ban is not always enough to make a market disappear when demand remains strong.

A ban that has not stopped demand

The ban on disposable puffs came into force in order to limit their use, particularly among teenagers. Their colourful design, their fruity flavours and how simple they are to use are regularly cited to explain how quickly they spread among a young audience.

On the ground, however, habits changed quickly. Consumers who still look for these products now find other ways of obtaining them, outside legal sales channels.

Social media, the parallel market’s new shop window

A simple search on certain social applications is now enough to make contact with sellers offering banned puffs. Exchanges generally take place by private message before a meeting place or a delivery is arranged.

According to several press investigations, some sellers use Snapchat or other platforms to advertise, operating in much the same way as a clandestine business. Profiles change regularly to escape reports and account closures.

Multiple supply channels

The parallel market does not rest on social media alone. Several supply routes appear to coexist:

• imports from countries where certain models are still sold;
• resale between private individuals;
• purchases made by adults on behalf of minors;
• clandestine sales through intermediaries.

This variety of channels makes enforcement particularly complex for the authorities.

Minors remain particularly exposed

One of the main objectives of the ban was to limit teenagers’ access to these products, which often contain nicotine. Yet several accounts gathered in various investigations show that some minors are still able to obtain them relatively easily, through word of mouth or social media.

The situation is a reminder that the parallel market bypasses the age checks that exist in shops complying with the rules.

Risks that go beyond the rules

Buying a puff outside official channels involves several risks. The origin of the product is often difficult to verify, and nothing guarantees that it complies with European standards.

Consumers may therefore be faced with:

• products whose composition is not clearly identified;
• nicotine concentrations that do not comply with the rules;
• counterfeit devices;
• a complete absence of traceability.

To this must be added the absence of any control over how the products are stored or transported.

A ban that shifts the problem

The ban on puffs has removed these products from legal distribution channels, but it has not entirely removed their presence from the country. As with other regulated markets, part of the supply has moved towards networks that are harder to monitor.

The authorities are pursuing their action against these illegal chains, while digital platforms are gradually strengthening their moderation systems. Despite this, sellers adapt quickly by creating new accounts or regularly changing their channels of communication.

Towards better prevention

Tackling illegal puffs does not rest on enforcement alone. Informing young people, raising awareness among families and compliance with the rules by professionals all remain essential in limiting how appealing these products are.

The way the market has developed also shows that social media now play a central role in the distribution of many regulated products. Monitoring them is therefore a major challenge for the years ahead.

Conclusion

While disposable puffs are officially banned in France, they remain accessible through parallel channels that organised themselves quickly. This reality underlines the limits of a ban when it comes up against strong demand and new digital forms of distribution. Between protecting minors, fighting trafficking and informing the public, the challenge remains wide open.