Tobacconists Want Exclusive Right to Sell Electronic Cigarettes in France

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter  11/01/2013

Tobacconists in France are claiming that electronic cigarettes fall under the tobacco sale monopoly law and should therefore be sold exclusively by them, according to a EurActiv story.

"We want that the sale of the electronic cigarette is done exclusively within the framework of the network of tobacconists," said Jean-Luc Renaud, secretary general of the confederation of tobacconists.

At present, electronic cigarettes are sold in a variety of shops, but a tobacconist is said to have lodged an 'unfair competition' complaint against a supplier on the grounds that the product can be considered to be a derivative of tobacco.

The EurActiv story said there was a legal vacuum on the matter in France, even though a law of 1983 stated that cigarettes and smoking products 'fall under the monopoly distribution of tobacconists', 'even if they do not contain tobacco'.

Meanwhile, another legal controversy is enveloping electronic cigarettes, and that has to do with advertising. Tobacco advertising is prohibited in France under the Evin law but this does not seem to cover electronic cigarettes.

The French Health Minister, Marisol Touraine, has said several times that advertising for electronic cigarettes would be prohibited, but she has not tabled legislation. Enditem