Peach, lychee, chocolate hazelnuts…

With the Puffs (pronounced “poof”, “Puff” in English), all flavors are allowed. These disposable electronic cigarettes were born in China before being marketed by Californian companies starting in 2019. The market exploded in 2020 when the powerful US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned flavorings in the vapor liquids of e-cigarettes. – reusable cigarettes but not disposable cigarettes, leading to a shift in consumption and huge profits: last year, the American market for disposable electronic cigarettes was worth $6.8 billion. Also in Europe, the puff is a hit distributed to tobacconists and supermarkets due to its price (less than 10 euros compared to an average of 20 euros for a reusable e-cigarette and vaping liquid) as well as the low technical complexity of the product.

An ecological catastrophe

Lifespan of a puff: between six hundred and seven hundred puffs, according to the National Committee against Smoking. And once thrown away? A month of Sundays. The puffs are made of plastic, a non-removable battery that contains 0.15 grams of lithium but also traces of heavy metals, and are very difficult to recycle, especially since the packaging does not indicate that they are less in the places intended for them Electrical appliances must be disposed of as 25 cm or disposed of in recycling centers. Around twenty personalities from the world of health and ecology registered in April The world a call to ban this “Environmental and health scourge”. Next to it, the traditional butt that falls apart in two years seems almost pleasant.

Young people at the center of the goal

Neon packaging, perfume “Unicorn” (a sweet mix of strawberries and dragon fruit), ideal format to be stored in a pencil case between the 4-color pencils… The puff is aimed at the young audience who sees the promotions on Instagram and TikTok and nothing about Substances contain white irritants. With or without nicotine, disposable or not, the sale of all e-cigarettes to minors is prohibited by health law. But in fact, “13% of puff consumers are between 13 and 16 years old”, says Martin Drago, advocacy manager of the Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT), which published the first European study on the subject at the end of 2022, and regrets that sellers attracted by this juicy deal do not sufficiently control the age of tobacco theirs Customers. Result: 47% of young people in 2023 “Started her introduction to nicotine through this device” according to ACT, compared to 28% last year. In order to put an end to the phenomenon, associations are calling for a ban.

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