Albany – The first six weeks of meteoric cigarette tax rates in New York showed a plunge in sales at convenience stores statewide, mainly because most smokers are finding ways to dodge the tax altogether, reports the New York Association of Convenience Stores On July 1, Governor Paterson and the Legislature increased the cigarette excise tax from $2.75 a pack to $4.35, the highest state tax rate in the country. Just as NYACS predicted, the ... Jump to full article >>