COLOMBIA · TOBACCO TAX
Key Facts
- The vote Colombia’s Senate approved the bill 79 to 1 on Wednesday, 4 November.
- Vapes Vapes and e-cigarettes will pay the same kind of consumption tax that cigarettes pay.
- Cigarettes A fixed COP 7,800 (US$2.40) per pack plus 20% of the retail price.
- Start date Six months after the president signs the law, the Senate says.
- Next step The Senate says only the president’s signature remains.
- Power Index Colombia ranks 6th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 51.9 points (October 2026 edition).
The Colombia vape tax cleared the Senate on Wednesday, 4 November, in a 79 to 1 vote. The same bill sets a fixed tax of COP 7,800 (US$2.40) per cigarette pack, at about COP 3,250 per US$1 on 4 November.
Vapes and e-cigarettes will pay a consumption tax like cigarettes, and the Senate says only the president’s signature remains. Tobacco and vaping companies selling in Colombia would face a bigger tax bill.
What the Senate Approved
The Senate plenary, the full chamber, approved the bill’s articles and title and voted yes on making it law, by 79 votes to 1. The Senate says the tax starts six months after the president signs.
Cigarettes pay a fixed COP 7,800 (US$2.40) per pack plus a 20% share of the retail price, as certified by DANE, Colombia’s national statistics agency. Vapes and e-cigarettes now fall under the same consumption-tax system.
Senator Héctor Olimpo Espinosa said the tax will bring new resources to the territorial health system. The text keeps a 70-30 split of resources for Bogotá.
How the Colombia Vape Tax Got Its Rate
Committees had proposed COP 5,100 (US$1.57) per pack, so the Senate settled on a figure higher than their text. The government’s separate fiscal rescue bill asks for COP 7,823 (US$2.41) in 2027 and COP 11,200 (US$3.45) in 2028.
That bill would tax vapes at COP 1,000 (US$0.31) per milliliter in 2027 and COP 2,000 (US$0.62) from 2028, plus 30% of the retail price. Its extra revenue would help pay for health insurance.
Senator Juan Fernando Caicedo of the conservative Centro Democrático party, who presented the committee report, said the Senate rate balances revenue and deterrence. He argued that very high rates push consumers toward contraband.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
A consumption tax is a tax on specific goods such as cigarettes. Its fixed part is a set peso amount per pack, while its ad valorem part is a percentage of the price.
The Senate plenary is the full chamber, which votes after committees have studied a bill. The ponente is the senator chosen to present and defend the committee’s report.
What Critics and Supporters Say
Senator Jennifer Pedraza of the Dignidad y Compromiso party asked to reopen the vote, and the plenary denied her motion. She cited the Health Ministry’s view that the increase does not do enough to discourage smoking.
Supporters point to new money for health services, while critics inside the Senate worry about contraband. The vote shows how narrow the gap is between raising revenue and keeping smokers in the legal market.
What It Means for You
Tobacco and vaping companies selling in Colombia face a higher tax per pack and a new tax on vapes once the law takes effect. The Senate gave no estimate of shelf prices.
The vote lands as the government pushes its own rescue law, which also raises tobacco taxes, to close a growing budget gap. See our reports on the vice president’s US$22 billion budget fix and the 2027 budget warning.
What Is Not Known
It is not settled whether the two chambers must still reconcile their texts before the president signs. The Senate says only the president’s signature remains.
No date has been given for the signature, so the start date of the tax is not yet fixed. The Senate statement gives no figures for expected revenue or for the effect on smoking.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Colombia’s new vape tax do?
It brings vapes and e-cigarettes under the same consumption tax that cigarettes pay, with a 20% price-based component. It starts six months after the president signs the law.
How much is the new cigarette tax?
The text sets a fixed COP 7,800 (US$2.40) per pack plus 20% of the retail price. Committees had proposed COP 5,100 (US$1.57) per pack.
Is the Colombia vape tax final?
The Senate approved it 79 to 1 on 4 November and says only the president’s signature remains. The tax would then start six months after signing.
Why do some senators worry about the tax?
Senator Juan Fernando Caicedo argued that very high rates push consumers toward contraband. Senator Jennifer Pedraza cited the Health Ministry’s view that the increase does not curb smoking enough.
Sources: Senate of Colombia, press release “Los vapeadores pagarán impuesto al consumo, como los cigarrillos”, 4 November 2026; Government fiscal rescue bill (Ley de Rescate Económico), tobacco and vape articles, 29 October 2026; Exchange rate: peso close of COP 3,250 per US$1, 4 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief