OLYMPIA, WA – A bill introduced in the 2026 Washington State Legislature would increase taxes on cigarettes and revise how vapor and tobacco products are taxed, while directing portions of the new revenue to health care, emergency response, and enforcement programs.

House Bill 2382 was prefiled on Jan. 9 and received its first reading on Jan. 12, when it was referred to the House Committee on Finance. A public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 30 at 1:30 p.m.

Sponsored by Democrat Representatives Lisa Parshley, Cindy Ryu, Julia Reed, Beth Doglio, Nicole Macri, My-Linh Thai and Gerry Pollet, the bill proposes an additional excise tax of 10 cents per cigarette, on top of existing cigarette taxes. Beginning July 1, 2026, the first $10 million collected annually from the new cigarette tax would be deposited into a newly created time sensitive emergency system account. According to the bill, the funds would be used by the Washington State Department of Health to support systems related to heart attacks, cardiac arrest, and stroke, as well as activities under existing emergency medical service statutes.

The next $2 million collected each fiscal year would go into a supplemental nicotine and tobacco enforcement account to support enforcement of tobacco- and vapor-related laws. Starting July 1, 2028, 10 percent of additional revenues above those amounts would be directed to the foundational public health services account.

The bill also changes how vapor products are taxed. Under the proposal, vapor products would be taxed at 95 percent of the taxable sales price, replacing the current per-milliliter tax structure. Revenue from the vapor product tax would be split evenly between the Andy Hill cancer research endowment fund match transfer account and the foundational public health services account.

In addition, the measure amends tobacco product taxes by setting the tax rate at 95 percent of the taxable sales price, with a cap of 85 cents per cigar for cigars other than little cigars. The bill also modifies tax reductions for tobacco products that receive federal modified risk tobacco product orders. Beginning July 1, 2028, 10 percent of tobacco product tax revenue would be deposited into the foundational public health services account, with the remainder going to the state general fund.

The bill is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, if approved by the Legislature and signed into law.