New Colombian Bill Aims to Regulate and Tax E-cigarettes

According to infobae's report on January 17th, Colombian Green Alliance Party lawmaker Carolina Giraldo has proposed a new bill this week aiming to triple the traditional cigarette tax and impose taxes on e-cigarettes that are not included in the fiscal reform. The objective is to regulate these products and increase public health resources.

Although the bill was not included in the fiscal reform, the Ministry of Finance has stated that it will provide support once the proposal is submitted.

Girardot emphasized that the bill is not aimed at banning e-cigarettes, but rather regulating them through taxation in order to protect public health. She stated, "We will raise cigarette taxes and impose taxes on e-cigarettes, as this field has not been subject to taxation so far.

Laura Castañeda, Deputy Director of Special Projects at the National Department Association (FND), expressed support for the bill, believing it will help various departments gather more resources in the health sector. She highlighted that the bill focuses on regulating a range of products and promotes a mixed tax plan. It is expected that by 2024, a tax rate of 288 pesos per gram or per milliliter will be established, as well as a 10% tax on equipment prices.

Both e-cigarettes and "vaporizers", although slightly different, fall within the scope of the legislation. Despite initially being marketed as alternatives to smoking, stricter regulations have been proposed as scientific research reveals potential health risks associated with these products. According to research by the American Cancer Society, the aerosol produced by e-cigarettes may contain addictive substances, posing potential harm to human health.

Herman Diaz, from the Colombian Pulmonology Association's Committee for Tobacco Prevention and Control, has stated that these products could potentially cause harm to the heart and lungs, particularly impacting the learning abilities of children and teenagers, and possibly being linked to cancer. He believes that these products should be subject to regulations that are similar to, or even stricter than, those governing traditional cigarettes.