Key Points
HAS confirmation: France’s national health authority (Haute Autorité de Santé, HAS) confirmed to 2Firsts that updated smoking-cessation guidelines will address the role of e-cigarettes.
Timeline: The revised national cessation recommendations are currently under preparation and are expected to be published by the end of 2026.
Scope of guidance: HAS said the recommendations will focus on clinical and public-health considerations rather than establishing technical standards for vaping products.
Evidence limits: The agency noted that existing scientific studies remain insufficient to clearly assess the risks and benefits across different categories of vaping products.
Policy context: HAS said it is monitoring European regulatory developments and will consider them if they affect the guideline update.
2Firsts
March 10, 2026
France’s national health authority will address the role of e-cigarettes in updated smoking-cessation guidelines expected by the end of 2026, the agency told 2Firsts in response to questions about the ongoing revision of its national recommendations.
The Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) said the updated recommendations on smoking cessation are currently under preparation and are scheduled for publication at the end of 2026. In its response to questions from 2Firsts, the agency said the working group responsible for the revision will examine “the place of e-cigarettes in the smoking-cessation process.”
The forthcoming document will update France’s 2014 national recommendations on tobacco cessation, which guide healthcare professionals in primary care on screening, treatment pathways and the maintenance of abstinence among smokers.
Guideline Update Underway
According to HAS, the revision of the cessation guidelines remains ongoing and the authority is not yet in a position to present final conclusions. The publication of the updated recommendations is planned for the end of 2026.
When asked whether vaping remains part of the scope of the guideline review, the agency confirmed that the topic continues to be included in the work currently being carried out.
“We will address the place of electronic cigarettes in the smoking-cessation process,” the HAS press office said in its written response to 2Firsts.
The agency did not indicate what conclusions the final recommendations might reach regarding the use of vaping products in cessation pathways.
No Technical Standards Planned
HAS also said the guideline update will not establish technical or product-level standards for vaping devices or e-liquids.
Responding to questions about potential methodological criteria for evaluating vaping products — such as emissions measurements, exposure levels or device quality standards — the agency said these issues fall outside the scope of the recommendations currently under preparation.
“This question is not included in the framing document and this type of work does not fall within the remit of the professional department responsible for the guidelines,” the agency said.
The recommendations therefore focus on clinical and public-health considerations rather than technical product regulation, according to HAS.
Evidence Gaps on Product Categories
HAS said differentiating between categories of vaping products remains difficult given the current scientific evidence base.
The agency said that while such differentiation could be desirable, it is challenging in practice because vaping technologies are evolving rapidly and existing research remains limited.
“Vaping products are constantly evolving and studies by category of vaping products are insufficient in number to precisely describe the benefits and risks of each type of product,” HAS said.
As a result, the working group responsible for the guideline revision may recommend further research in this area.
Monitoring EU Regulatory Developments
The agency also confirmed that it is monitoring regulatory developments at the European level related to tobacco and vaping products.
HAS said that if changes in European regulation affect its work, they will be taken into account in the guideline update.
European institutions are currently reviewing several elements of nicotine product regulation, including potential revisions to the Tobacco Products Directive and other related regulatory frameworks.
Scientific Context
France’s national health and safety agency, the Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail (ANSES), published a scientific assessment in February 2026 concluding that vaping is less harmful than combustible tobacco but not risk-free.
The report reviewed available epidemiological and toxicological evidence and concluded that the absence of combustion significantly reduces exposure to many toxic substances compared with cigarette smoke, while emphasizing that scientific uncertainties remain regarding long-term health effects.
ANSES provides scientific risk assessments to inform public policy, while HAS is responsible for issuing clinical and public-health recommendations, including guidance related to smoking cessation.
Outlook
France’s updated cessation recommendations are expected to address how vaping products may be considered within the country’s clinical approach to tobacco dependence, though the authority has not indicated what conclusions the final document will reach.
For continued coverage of European regulatory developments related to vaping and nicotine products, follow reporting from 2Firsts.
Cover image generated by AI.
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