The Minister of Finance, Avigdor Lieberman, this evening (Sunday) signed the order imposing a purchase tax on liquid e-cigarettes and non-refillable e-cigarettes, which is equivalent in its rate to the tax imposed on other tobacco products.
The order is the result of a coordinated move between the Tax Authority and the Ministry of Health and aims to reduce the consumption of e-cigarettes that increase the risk of heart disease and respiratory diseases.
The order will take effect at midnight.
The order stipulates that a liquid for filling e-cigarettes will be subject to a purchase tax of 270% of the usual wholesale price plus NIS 11.39 per ml, which in any case will not be less than NIS 21.81 per ml.
Disposable cigarettes will be subject to a purchase tax of 360% of the common wholesale price, which in any case will not be less than NIS 32.72 per ml.
Minister of Finance Lieberman, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
In addition, restrictions were set on the amount of electronic cigarettes and liquid that can be brought to Israel from abroad without paying purchase tax. These quantities are equivalent to the regular quantities of cigarettes that can be brought into Israel without paying tax. For liquid and no more than 2 disposable cigarettes.
The Association of Public Health Physicians in Israel and the Medical Association for the Prevention and Cessation of Smoking of the Medical Association welcome the correction of the tax distortion on e-cigarettes expected tonight at midnight.
"This important step closes only one of the leading loopholes in the smoking epidemic among young people in Israel, which threatens public health. "Exceptions to advertising and marketing bans, and graphic warnings on cigarette packs," the
organization said.
Shira Kislev, CEO of the smoking cessation project, responded: "I welcome the move and am happy that the long struggle we have led on the issue has borne fruit.
It would have been better if the order had been signed before and the fight to eradicate smoking is still far from achieving its goals, but even now it is an important step in the fight against the scourge of smoking, especially e-cigarettes.
"But no less important is the message that the move sends to the tobacco industry and the general public, according to which smoking products wherever they are harmful to the public and therefore the law of regulation regarding them is equal."