BAT fine demonstrates French tobacco advertising law does apply to vaping

Anti-tobacco campaigners are happy with the €100,000 fine levied against British American Tobacco (BAT) for illegally advertising its Vype vaping products (now called Vuse) in France. They say it demonstrates that the law against tobacco advertising applies equally to e-cigarettes and they expect to see further similar action taken against other companies in the near future.

The tobacco giant was convicted by the 31st correctional chamber of the Judicial Court of Paris for “disseminating writings, images and photographs that promoted vaping products to encourage their purpose” while also offering an inducement of a week-long series of “virtual music” to Vype brand internet users in April 2020.