Introduction. Despite the complete ban on tobacco sales to minors under the age of 18, which was introduced in France in 2009, the prevalence of tobacco use among minors has not decreased. Examining minors’ attitudes toward the ban on tobacco sales provides further insight into this situation. Method. At the request of the Directorate General for Health, a qualitative study using semi-structured individual interviews was conducted in 2012 with 44 minors aged 12 to 17. Results The minors interviewed approved of the tobacco sales ban without feeling particularly affected by it. They did not encounter difficulties in accessing tobacco nor did they experience refusals from tobacco retailers. In their view, the low level of compliance with the law undermines the credibility of the ban. Discussion. The minors’ attitudes can be explained, in part, by the continued use of tobacco during key social occasions, and in part by the lax enforcement of the law they observe among tobacco retailers. Conclusion. The literature shows that the ban on tobacco sales to minors has a real impact, provided that the measure is widely enforced by retailers. The mere adoption of legislation is not sufficient on its own to effectively restrict access to tobacco. Ensuring compliance with the ban is therefore a major challenge. (R.A.)