Behind every pack sold in France lies a deliberate political choice. Manufacturers propose prices, but the state, through customs and taxation, decides how painful each cigarette will be. Around 75–80% of the price is tax, leaving only modest margins for producers and tobacconists, and ensuring a pack now averages €12.50–€13 in 2026. Rolling tobacco, once the refuge of budget smokers, has followed the same steep curve, with 30-gram pouches approaching €18.