The new OpinionWay barometer conducted for FIVAPE provides a detailed snapshot of vaping in France in 2026. Lâsurvey was conducted online from September 11 to 21, 2026, among 3,729 adults representative of the French population aged 18 and over, including 1,426 current or former vapers.
Among the most notable findings: 22% of adults surveyed reported vaping, including 11% daily and 11% occasionally.
As with any self-reported survey, these figures should be interpreted as estimates based on a representative sample, not as an official count of every person who vapes in France.
22% of adults report vaping in 2026
OpinionWay found that 22% of respondents reported using e-cigarettes:
- 11% daily;
- 11% occasionally.
FIVAPE extrapolates this result to around 12 million people, based on INSEE population data. This extrapolation provides an approximate figure, but is based on a survey.
A high proportion of people who both smoke and vape
Lâstudy indicates that 54% of daily vapers say they also smoke. This profile, often called âdual useâ or âsmoking and vaping,â therefore remains widespread.
For harm reduction, the main goal is generally to switch completely from smoking tobacco to a smoke-free alternative, rather than to continue using both over an extended period.
Our report Cochrane 2026: e-cigarettes or patches? reviews randomized data on smoking cessation.
Where do people in France buy their vaping products?
The barometer highlights several purchasing channels:
| Main reported sales channel | Share |
|---|---|
| Vape specialty stores | 47 % |
| Tobacconists | 27 % |
| Non-specialist stores, supermarkets, or grocery stores | 19 % |
| Black market | 6 % |
Specialist retailers are therefore clearly in the lead. According to FIVAPEâs analysis, their customers use refillable systems and open vaping devices more often, while non-specialist outlets are more commonly associated with prefilled or disposable/refillable neo-puff products.
Refillable vaping remains widespread
Unlike the image sometimes created by disposable products, the French market still consists largely of refillable devices: pods, kits with replaceable cartridges, clearomizers, and box mods.
For a beginner, choosing between these categories can be difficult. Our guide Pod or box: which e-cigarette should you choose? helps compare ease of use, battery life, and draw style.
Nicotine remains central to smoking cessation methods
The barometer also analyzes the methods used by people who quit smoking with help. According to the responses collected, since 2010, a large majority of these assisted quit attempts have involved a product containing nicotine, either as nicotine replacement therapy or through an e-cigarette.
FIVAPE particularly highlights the figure that 80% of people who quit with help say they used a nicotine-related product during the period studied.
This result does not mean nicotine has no effects: it sustains dependence. However, it distinguishes nicotine from tobacco combustion, which produces many of the toxic substances responsible for smoking-related diseases.
Nicotine strengths often seem relatively low
According to the barometer, 82% of vapers surveyed use liquids with a nicotine strength of no more than 10 mg/ml.
This figure does not mean that a strength below 10 mg/ml is right for everyone. The amount needed depends on the level of dependence, the device and vaping frequency.
Someone who used to smoke heavily may need a higher strength in a low-power MTL pod, whereas a user of sub-ohm equipment inhales more vapor with each puff and generally uses lower concentrations.
To make an informed choice, see what nicotine strength to choose for your e-liquid.
Non-tobacco flavors dominate
Another finding from the barometer: only 12% of vapers surveyed say they use only tobacco flavor.
Fruit, cooling, menthol, dessert and drink flavors therefore play an important role in reported usage.
This issue is regularly at the center of European regulatory debates, where the question of flavor restrictions comes up frequently.
Our article Europe: what new rules are in store for vaping? tracks these developments.
What does the barometer say about perceptions of risk?
Another OpinionWay study commissioned by FIVAPE in spring 2026 showed widespread public confusion about the relative risks of smoking tobacco, vaping and nicotine.
According to this previous survey, 58% of respondents thought vaping was no less risky than smoking, or could be riskier, while 14% had no opinion. FIVAPE concludes that 72% of the population surveyed did not perceive the risk reduction between vaping and smoking.
This figure should not be confused with support for vaping: 72% does not mean that 72% of people in France âsupport vaping.â It is an indicator of risk perception from a different question.
How should these figures be interpreted with caution?
Several caveats are needed:
- the survey is self-reported;
- figures extrapolated to millions of people are calculated from a sample;
- FIVAPE is a trade association for the vaping sector;
- its comments and recommendations should be distinguished from OpinionWayâs raw data;
- behaviors change rapidly in response to regulations and available products.
Nevertheless, the barometer is a useful source for understanding user profiles and purchasing channels in fall 2026.
What the study suggests about the French market
Three trends stand out in particular:
1. Vaping is now widespread
With 22% reporting that they vape daily or occasionally, e-cigarettes are no longer a niche product.
2. Specialist retailers remain central
Nearly one in two buyers say they mainly shop at a specialist vape shop.
3. Dual use remains a major issue
The large proportion of people who vape while continuing to smoke shows that taking up e-cigarettes does not automatically mean giving up tobacco completely.
FAQ
How many people in France vape in 2026?
In the OpinionWay/FIVAPE survey, 22% of adults surveyed say they vape, including 11% daily. FIVAPE extrapolates this to around 12 million people.
Where do vapers most often buy their products?
Specialist vape shops top the list, accounting for 47% of surveyed buyers, ahead of tobacco shops at 27%.
Do vapers mainly use tobacco flavors?
No. According to the barometer, only 12% say they exclusively use tobacco-flavored e-liquids.
Do most vapers use more than 10 mg/ml?
No. 82% of vapers surveyed say they use e-liquids at 10 mg/ml or less.
Key takeaways
The 2026 OpinionWay/FIVAPE barometer shows that vaping is well established among Franceâs adult population, with rechargeable systems and specialist retailers strongly represented. It also highlights two issues: many vapers continue to smoke, and perceptions of nicotineâs role and relative risk remain confused.
Main source: Barometer of Vaping in France 2026, OpinionWay for FIVAPE, online survey conducted from September 11 to 21, 2026, among 3,729 adults. FIVAPEâs interpretations are distinguished as far as possible from the surveyâs self-reported results.
Share:
OXVA NeXLIM UNITECH 3.0: Whatâs new with the new cartridges?