The Senate voted to increase the price of cigarettes early and introduce a tax on nicotine sachets. Measures contested by the Minister of Health, but welcomed by their defenders as a lever for reducing tobacco consumption, particularly among young people.
Responding to public health issues
The Senate adopted an amendment to the Social Security financing bill aimed at increasing, from next year, the price of a pack of cigarettes to 12.70 euros, a level initially planned for 2027. This measure, carried by centrist senator Élisabeth Doineau, was adopted despite opposition from the Minister of Health, Geneviève Darrieussecq. Furthermore, a new tax on nicotine sachets has also been introduced, reflecting a tightening of public policies against products linked to tobacco and nicotine.
According to the adopted amendment, the price of a pack of cigarettes will increase by 40 cents compared to the anti-smoking plan established last year. This initiative, based on a report from the Social Security Evaluation and Control Mission (MECSS), aims to further reduce tobacco consumption, particularly among young people. Indeed, the prevalence of daily smoking among high school students has already fallen significantly, from 30.8% in 2011 to 6.2% in 2022.
For senators, this reinforced taxation should generate around 200 million euros in additional revenue for the State in 2025. A windfall intended to offset the colossal costs associated with tobacco, estimated between 1.7 and 4.6 billion euros. per year for public finances.
Taxation of nicotine sachets and ban under study
In addition to increasing the price of tobacco, senators introduced a tax on nicotine sachets, such as “snus” or “pouches”. This measure, which provides for an initial excise of 22 euros per 1,000 grams in 2025, aims to regulate this mode of consumption popular with young people. A box of 20 sachets could therefore see its price increase by 18 to 35 cents. The senators hope to draw 200 million euros from this tax by 2027, with a gradual increase in excise duty.
However, the Minister of Health considers this approach insufficient and calls for a total ban on these products: “ They have no interest other than being dangerous to public health. I will prepare decrees to prohibit their marketing », notes The Echoes.
While the text must still be debated in the joint committee, the measures adopted by the Senate reflect a desire to intensify the fight against smoking and nicotine-based products. This approach is part of a context where prevention and taxation remain major tools for reducing the harm caused by these substances to public health.
