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Are snus and nicotine pouches legal in Colombia?
Nicotine pouches are legal in Colombia but regulated as tobacco products. Law 2354 of 2024, signed on 16 May 2024, rewrote Article 1 of Law 1335 of 2009 to bring Oral Nicotine Products (PNO) expressly within the tobacco control regime, so the 18-year age limit, health warnings, advertising and promotion ban and smoke-free rules all apply; products not derived from tobacco leaf were given a one-year transition to comply with packaging and advertising articles. Tobacco snus is covered by the same law as a tobacco product but is not sold in Colombia. Enforcement is weak and pouches circulate freely in vape shops, liquor stores and delivery apps at 12,000 to 30,000 pesos a can.
South America
Colombia at a glance
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Tobacco snus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale to adults | Legal with restrictions | Legal |
| Possession and use | Legal | Legal |
| Personal import (mail order, bringing in) | Allowed | Allowed |
| Online sale inside the country | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits |
| Regulated | as a tobacco product | as a tobacco product |
| Minimum age | 18 | 18 |
| Nicotine strength cap | No legal cap found | No legal cap found |
| Flavours | Unclear | Unclear |
| Excise tax | Unclear | Yes |
| Legal basis | Ley 2354 de 2024, art. 1 (modifying art. 1 of Ley 1335 de 2009) | Ley 1335 de 2009, as amended by Ley 2354 de 2024 |
| In force since | 16 May 2024 | 1 January 2009 |
High confidence: Checked against legislation or an official government source. Research tier 1. How we verify.
Nicotine pouches in Colombia
Legal, 18+, treated as a tobacco product.
Article 1 of Law 2354 lists Productos de Nicotina Oral (PNO) among the products covered, and Article 4 states that all control measures in Law 1335 of 2009 apply to them. That means the prohibition on sale to under-18s, mandatory health warnings and the ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Article 5 gave products not derived from tobacco leaf a one-year transition period to comply with Article 13 (packaging) and Articles 14 to 17 (advertising). Products registered by INVIMA as medicines or health technologies are excluded from the law. No nicotine cap or flavour rule specific to pouches was identified.
Tax: No pouch-specific excise rate identified; tobacco products carry the departmental tobacco consumption tax.
Sources: Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social / Congreso de Colombia, El Tiempo
Tobacco snus in Colombia
Legal, 18+, but not sold.
Oral tobacco is a tobacco product under Law 1335 of 2009: sale to under-18s is prohibited, health warnings are required and advertising, promotion and sponsorship are banned. No specific prohibition of oral tobacco was found. Swedish-style snus is not commercially distributed in Colombia.
Tax: Tobacco products are subject to the departmental consumption tax on tobacco.
Sources: Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social / Congreso de Colombia
Bringing snus or nicotine pouches into Colombia
| For personal use | Unclear No published snus or nicotine pouch allowance was located. Both products are lawful in Colombia, so a personal supply is not a prohibited import, but no DIAN figure was verified. |
| Declaration | Unclear No restriction on carrying snus or pouches in cabin or checked baggage. |
| Penalties | No specific penalty information found. |
Colombian customs (DIAN) publishes a general traveller franchise; no tobacco-specific figure for oral products was confirmed.
Full travel guide: can you bring snus and nicotine pouches to Colombia?
Buying snus and pouches in Colombia
- Nicotine pouches sold in shops: Yes
- Tobacco snus sold in shops: No
- Brands commonly seen: VELO, ZYN
- Typical price: 20000 COP per can (as of 2026-08). Reported range of 12,000 to 30,000 COP per can in vape shops, liquor stores and delivery apps.
Pending and proposed changes
- Implementing regulation from the Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio and the Health Ministry is still being rolled out; enforcement against online and informal sale of pouches remains weak. Status: adopted not in force.
Frequently asked questions
Are nicotine pouches legal in Colombia?
Yes. Since Law 2354 of 2024 they are expressly covered by the tobacco control law as Oral Nicotine Products, which makes them legal for adults but subject to an 18-year age limit, health warnings and a full advertising ban.
What is the age limit for nicotine pouches in Colombia?
18. Law 1335 of 2009, whose control measures Law 2354 extends to oral nicotine products, prohibits direct or indirect sale of these products to anyone under 18.
Is snus legal in Colombia?
Yes in principle. Oral tobacco is a tobacco product under Law 1335 of 2009, legal for adults over 18 with health warnings, but Swedish-style snus is not stocked in Colombia.
Where can I buy nicotine pouches in Colombia?
They are widely available in vape shops, liquor stores and through delivery apps at roughly 12,000 to 30,000 pesos a can, although advertising and promotion are illegal and enforcement of the rules is patchy.
Can I bring nicotine pouches into Colombia?
They are legal products, so a personal supply is not a prohibited import. No specific customs allowance for oral nicotine products was found, so declare larger quantities.
Nearby in the atlas
- Antigua and Barbuda – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal with restrictions
- Argentina – pouches legal with restrictions, snus no specific rule found
- Bahamas – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Barbados – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- Belize – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Bolivia – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- Brazil – pouches banned, snus banned
- Canada – pouches legal with restrictions, snus legal
- Chile – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- Costa Rica – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
Where are nicotine pouches legal?Where is snus legal?Strength limits by countryAge limits by country
Sources
- Ley 2354 de 2024, por medio de la cual se modifica el artículo 1º de la Ley 1335 de 2009 – Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social / Congreso de Colombia (Legislation, 16 May 2024; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Sistemas Electrónicos de Administración de Nicotina (SEAN), y Sistemas Similares Sin Nicotina (SSSN); los Productos de Tabaco Calentado (PTC) y Productos de Nicotina Oral (PNO), entre otros”
- OMS alerta por riesgos de las bolsas de nicotina que ya se venden en Colombia – El Tiempo (News, 1 January 2026; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“La Ley 2354 de 2024 amplió la regulación existente sobre tabaco y sistemas electrónicos de administración de nicotina para incluir también productos orales como las bolsas de nicotina.”
- Así es la ley 2354, que regula a los vapeadores y cigarrillos electrónicos en Colombia – Asuntos Legales (La República) (News, 1 May 2024; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“La venta directa e indirecta, de productos de tabaco y sus derivados, en cualquiera de sus presentaciones, a menores de 18 años”
Record last verified 4 September 2026. Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us and we will re-check the source.