Smokers Info » cigarette

Bringing cigarette-tax stamps back would raise money, fight crime

admin — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:34:44 +0000

Legislators are trying once again to curb cigarette smuggling, both into and out of North Carolina, by re-establishing a stamp on cigarette packs. This year, the odds look better than in the past, and that is good. North Carolina has long had one of the lowest state cigarette taxes. Because of that, organized crime and terrorist organizations have bought cigarettes here and resold them illegally in high-tax states. In recent year ... Jump to full article >>

Plain packaging will hit sales hard, and big tobacco is worried

admin — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 06:36:47 +0000

So, the move to cigarette plain packaging will do nothing to reduce the rate of smoking, but it will be a pain in the proverbial for shopkeepers. I’m told this at least once an hour on talk radio, so it must be true. But things aren’t always what they appear to be. I know this as a reformed tobacco executive. I was employed by Rothmans of Pall Mall from 1994 to 1998 in Queensland, NSW and Victoria in charge of about $ ... Jump to full article >>

A Cigarette for 75 Cents, 2 for $1: The Brisk, Shady Sale of ‘Loosies’

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:01:16 +0000

By 8:30 a.m., amid the procession of sleepy-eyed office workers and addicts from the nearby methadone clinic, Lonnie Loosie plants himself in the middle of the sidewalk on Eighth Avenue in Midtown. Addressing no one in particular, he calls out his one-size-fits-all greeting: “Newports, Newports, packs and loosies.” Rarely does a minute go by without a customer stopping just long enough to pass a dollar bill to Lonnie Loosie, ... Jump to full article >>

Councilor cuts off debate on cigarette sales ban

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:19:47 +0000

WORCESTER — A city councilor has temporarily put the brakes on a proposal to ban the sale of tobacco products by local health care providers, including drugstores and colleges. Councilor-at-Large Michael J. Germain tonight exercised his right under the City Council’s rules to hold for one week amendments to the city’s tobacco control ordinance that have been recommended by City Manager Michael V. O’Brien. In addition to ... Jump to full article >>

Cigarette tax proposals pit anti-smokers against tobacco lobby

admin — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:04:22 +0000

SALEM — Anti-smoking lawmakers clashed with Oregon’s top tobacco lobbyist Thursday over proposals to raise cigarette taxes by as much as $2 a pack. Supporters, including Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, a former health researcher, said the proposed increases are less about raising more money for the state than getting people to quit the habit, or not start. R.J. Reynolds lobbyist Mark Nelson and the head of Plaid Pan ... Jump to full article >>

Cigarette Tax Hikes for Georgia & Nebraska?

admin — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 07:37:00 +0000

ATLANTA & LINCOLN, Neb. — Lawmakers in both Georgia and Nebraska are mulling cigarette excise tax increases to fund health-care in the states. For Georgia, the proposed increase would raise the state tax 84% from 37 cents to 68 cents per pack, while Nebraska is looking at a whopping 211% increase to $1.99 per pack. Nebraska Sen. Mike Gloor proposed the increase in his state, according to a report in the Lincoln Journal ... Jump to full article >>

Cigarette tax jumps 84 percent in proposal

admin — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:38:24 +0000

Proponents estimate it would generate an additional $136 million annually. Smokers say it’s way too much. Health advocates say it’s not nearly enough. The current tax on a pack of 20 smokes is 64 cents. It kicks $63 million into the state treasury each year. Opponents of tobacco use told the panel to go for it and forward the measure to the full Unicameral for debate. They cited the health hazards linked to smoking. On the co ... Jump to full article >>

It ain’t broke but needs fixing

admin — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 04:53:25 +0000

One interesting tax measure presently being tackled by the House Ways and Means Committee chaired by Congressman Hermilando I. Mandanas of Batangas is the excise tax on cigarettes. A number of bills have already been filed to change the existing cigarette excise tax structure, and several groups are supporting this initiative to generate more revenues for the government as well as to discourage smoking. At the same time, opposin ... Jump to full article >>

Cigarette tax should be raised, group says

admin — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:31:31 +0000

The American Lung Association calls for an increase of $1.50 per pack to reduce youth smoking. AUGUSTA – An anti-smoking organization is calling on lawmakers and Gov. Paul LePage to increase the state’s cigarette excise tax by $1.50 per pack. Thursday’s call for raising the tax to $3.50 per pack came as the American Lung Association released its annual tobacco report card. Maine’s tax of $2 per pack tied f ... Jump to full article >>

Still’s cigarette tax hike proposal solid

admin — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:31:26 +0000

Mary Still, our 25th District state representative, is a strong advocate for a higher cigarette tax. I’m on her side, and I would think many House members on both sides of the aisle would support her bill’s passage. Mary is quick to supply the numbers — with help from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Missouri Budget Project. Here are a few figures to support her argument. Missouri has the lowest cigar ... Jump to full article >>