France’s cultural landscape is changing with new laws targeting smoking and online adult content. Starting July 1, 2025, smoking will be banned in outdoor public spaces where kids gather, like parks, beaches, and school entrances. This move aims to protect young people from secondhand smoke and curb the glamorization of tobacco, which causes about 75,000 deaths yearly in France. Meanwhile, a new law requiring adult websites to verify users’ ages has prompted Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube, to block access in France as of June 4, 2025, just days before the June 7 deadline, said BBC.
The age verification law mandates that adult sites confirm users are over 18 using credit cards or government-issued IDs, often through third-party systems to protect privacy. Aylo, acquired by Ethical Capital Partners in 2023, argues this setup risks data breaches and calls the law “ineffective” and “dangerous.” Solomon Friedman, a partner at Ethical Capital, emphasized that the company prioritizes user privacy and would prefer tech giants like Apple or Microsoft handle age checks at the device level. France’s Digital Affairs Minister, Clara Chappaz, countered that Aylo is misrepresenting the law’s intent, which she says balances adults’ freedom to access adult content with the need to protect kids. “This isn’t about shaming adults—it’s about keeping children safe,” Chappaz tweeted.
France is a major market for Pornhub, second only to the U.S., with “française” topping search terms, hinting at a preference for local content. While some U.S. states, mostly conservative ones like Texas and Alabama, have similar age verification laws, France’s approach stands out in a country not typically seen as socially restrictive. With smoking and adult content now heavily regulated, what pleasures or “vices” are left for the French to enjoy?
What Vices Remain in France?
France has long been associated with a relaxed approach to personal indulgences—think wine-soaked dinners, leisurely café culture, and a certain romanticized view of smoking and sensuality. The new restrictions on smoking and adult content don’t eliminate vices entirely but shift the landscape. Here’s a look at what remains, alongside considerations of how France’s evolving regulations might affect them:1. Alcohol Consumption
France’s love affair with wine, champagne, and aperitifs remains largely untouched. The country’s culture of enjoying alcohol with meals is deeply ingrained, with no major restrictions beyond existing age limits (19 for purchasing spirits) and public intoxication laws. However, public health campaigns are increasingly highlighting alcohol’s health risks, and there’s talk of stricter labeling or taxes, similar to tobacco regulations. For now, sipping a glass of Bordeaux on a café terrace is still a quintessential French pleasure.2. Vaping and E-Cigarettes
The smoking ban specifically targets traditional tobacco, leaving vaping exempt. As noted in reports, some French smokers, like literature student Thomas Bouchard, see vaping as a “compromise” that’s “less sexy, but fewer wrinkles too.” Vaping has grown in popularity, with 6% of adults using e-cigarettes, and it faces fewer restrictions, though future regulations could emerge as public health debates continue.3. Gambling
Gambling, from casinos to online betting, is legal and regulated in France. The Française des Jeux and PMU oversee lotteries and horse racing, while online poker and sports betting thrive. Age restrictions (18) apply, and there’s scrutiny over addiction risks, but gambling remains a widely accepted vice, with no new bans on the horizon.4. Cannabis and Other Substances
Cannabis is illegal for recreational use, but France has a relatively high rate of consumption, especially among younger people. A 2021 survey showed 11% of French adults used cannabis in the past year. Medical cannabis trials are underway, and there’s ongoing debate about decriminalization, suggesting this vice might become more accessible. Other recreational drugs remain strictly controlled, with enforcement focused on trafficking.5. Adult Content Alternatives
While major platforms like Pornhub have exited France, not all adult sites have followed suit. Some are complying with the age verification law, and unregulated “darker corners of the internet” could see increased traffic, as Aylo warned. This suggests that adult content remains accessible, though with more hurdles. Additionally, France’s legal sex industry, including regulated sex work in certain contexts, continues unaffected by these digital regulations.6. Culinary Indulgences
France’s rich food culture—think foie gras, buttery croissants, and decadent cheeses—remains a celebrated vice. While health campaigns occasionally target high-fat or high-sugar diets, these indulgences face no serious restrictions and are central to French identity.7. Nightlife and Socializing
France’s vibrant nightlife, from Parisian clubs to Marseille’s beach bars, continues to thrive. Public drinking is regulated in some areas, but the social scene remains a key outlet for leisure and excess, with no new laws curbing it.Cultural and Regulatory Context
France’s recent laws reflect a tension between its historically permissive culture and a growing emphasis on public health and child protection. The smoking ban builds on decades of tightening tobacco rules, starting with the 1976 Veil Law and 1991 Evin Law, and aligns with European trends like Sweden’s 2019 outdoor smoking restrictions. The porn age verification law, part of the 2024 SREN law, strengthens efforts begun in 2020 to limit minors’ exposure to explicit content, with Arcom estimating 2.3 million minors visit porn sites monthly. These measures enjoy public support—78% of French people back the smoking ban, per a French League Against Cancer survey—but they’ve also sparked pushback. Aylo’s exit highlights privacy concerns, and some smokers, like 26-year-old Ouadere Thevet, express nostalgia for France’s cigarette culture despite supporting the ban’s intent.
