A legislative bill calling for the state to negotiate with Native American tribes to make payments on cigarette sales so Nebraska can continue to receive millions of dollars through a national tobacco settlement got first-round approval Wednesday. Senators voted 38-0 to advance the measure, which faces two more rounds of consideration. Since 2003, the state has received $280 million to $300 million from the four largest tobacco companies as part ... Jump to full article >>

On April 15th, the very day many Vermonters’ are trying to pay their end of year tax obligations, the Vermont Senate Finance Committee voted to increase the cigarette tax by $1.00 per pack, making Vermont more than $20.00 carton higher than New Hampshire. Here’s why we oppose this tax increase: The Importance of Buying Local Stemming the Loss of Retail Business Across Vermont’s Borders There has been significant focus across Vermont in rec ... Jump to full article >>

Slow government response to repeated complaints of illegal tobacco sales has cost the state and legitimate distributors millions of dollars, according to longtime Oklahoma City tobacco wholesaler Alan Beck. Slow government response to repeated complaints of illegal tobacco sales has cost the state and legitimate distributors millions of dollars, according to longtime Oklahoma City tobacco wholesaler Alan Beck. For six years, Beck has complained ... Jump to full article >>

Call it a duel between tobacco tax studies. During a floor debate in the Legislature last month on lowering the New Hampshire tobacco tax, Rep. Patrick Abrami, R-Stratham, said the move was necessary to help small businesses rebound and strengthen a competitive advantage in lower cigarette taxes with neighbor states. “We have reached the tipping point,” Abrami said about the sizeable increase in tobacco taxes that had taken place sin ... Jump to full article >>

SANTA CRUZ – The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors this afternoon voted 4-1 to require retailers to obtain a license to sell tobacco, joining dozens of other communities statewide. The effort is aimed at keeping cigarettes out of the hands of minors. Supervisor Mark Stone was the lone dissenter. The county says a recent survey demonstrated county retailers’ poor compliance with laws prohibiting sales to those under 18 years of a ... Jump to full article >>

ALBANY — The state’s top tax collector said the state is ready to quickly end tax-free cigarette sales by Indian retailers to non-Indian customers. New York State is awaiting a ruling from a federal appeals court on the long-simmering tobacco tax issue, said Thomas Mattox, who was confirmed Tuesday by the State Senate to the tax commissioner’s post. “We’re prepared to enforce immediately,” Mattox said after b ... Jump to full article >>

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 contrary, say anti ... Jump to full article >>

From an ethical standpoint, it makes little sense that health care retailers — in the business of selling products that are supposed to make people healthier — would also sell products that are known to kill. So goes the thinking of Teens Against Drug Abuse, part of the BOLD Coalition, which has pushed for an ordinance that the city’s Law Department has drafted and is being considered by the Fall River City Council’s Committee on Ordinan ... Jump to full article >>

Lisle police announced Tuesday that businesses within the village licensed to sell tobacco are in compliance regarding the sale of those products to minors. On Monday, police, with the aid of a number of underage volunteers, visited 27 licensed establishments in the village and found there were no attempts to sell tobacco to the teens. Police public information officer Randall Johnson said the program is conducted three times a year through a gr ... Jump to full article >>

CHARLESTON – Bills being introduced in the West Virginia Legislature would put a $1 tax hike on a pack of cigarettes. However, some local legislators are doubtful the bills will make it to a full vote. Senate Bill 362 and House Bill 2973 would raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes from 55 cents to $1.55 and would raise the tax on smokeless tobacco from seven to 50 percent of the wholesale price of each item. The tax is expected to bring in ... Jump to full article >>