French Polynesia votes to ban e-cigarettes "outright" from 2026

The Assembly of French Polynesia voted on Friday, August 30, an amendment to its draft law on the country's anti-smoking bill. During the study of the text, Lana Tetuanui, representative of the Tapura Huiraatira (autonomist, opposition), proposed "going further" by asking the rapporteur to include an amendment to "purely and simply" ban electronic cigarettes and all their "derivatives."

The amended bill was approved by 51 votes in favor, 5 against, and one abstention.

The Tavini Huiraatira independence group, which has the majority in the French Polynesian Assembly, immediately endorsed the proposal by the Union Centriste senator. "Let's consider people rather than money," suggested Ernest Teagai, a representative of Tavini.

The President of French Polynesia, Moetai Brotherson, however warned that this amendment was "very likely to be rejected" by the administrative courts, due to the "principle of freedom of trade and the proportionality of trade bans" enshrined in the Constitution.

"Those affected" can turn "to their lawyers to say that this is an obstacle to their freedom of trade and that it is a ban that is not proportional," he warned.

The amendment was introduced as a new article at the end of the bill. If the bill were to be challenged, it would not weaken the entire law.

In French Polynesia, some vaping products are regularly "tampered with" to allow the consumption of cannabis oil, but also methamphetamine, known locally as "ice." According to the French Polynesia Ministry of Health, there are 30,000 regular users of this drug throughout the country.