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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                             CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
                          TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): DECEMBER 20, 2004
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                                VECTOR GROUP LTD.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)



                                                                        
         DELAWARE                                  1-5759                                  65-0949535
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(State or Other Jurisdiction of           (Commission File Number)            (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
         Incorporation)




                                                                
   100 S.E. SECOND STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA                             33131
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   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                        (Zip Code)


                                 (305) 579-8000
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              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

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          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

         Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

         [ ]    Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities
                Act (17 CFR 230.425)

         [ ]    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange
                Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

         [ ]    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under
                the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

         [ ]    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under
                the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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ITEM 2.03.      CREATION OF A DIRECT FINANCIAL OBLIGATION OR AN OBLIGATION UNDER
                AN OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENT OF A REGISTRANT.

                See Item 3.02, which is incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 3.02.      UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.

                As previously disclosed, on November 18, 2004, Vector Group
Ltd. (the "Company") completed the sale of $65.5 million of its 5% Variable
Interest Senior Convertible Notes due 2011 (the "Notes") to qualified
institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended. Under the terms of the sale, the initial buyers of the Notes
received the right, for a 120-day period ending on March 18, 2005, to purchase
an additional $16.375 million of the Notes.

                On December 20, 2004, two of the initial buyers of the Notes
exercised their right to purchase a total of approximately $1.406 million
principal amount of additional Notes. As of that date, no other such rights have
been exercised so the remaining initial buyers have the right to purchase, up to
March 18, 2005, approximately an additional $14.969 million principal amount of
the Notes.


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                                    SIGNATURE

                Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       VECTOR GROUP LTD.

                                       By:  /s/ Joselynn D. Van Siclen
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                                            Joselynn D. Van Siclen
                                            Vice President and Chief Financial
                                            Officer

Date: December 21, 2004


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