| Not many consumer products are taxed like | | | | has passed a bill proposing a 30 cent hike per pack of |
| cigarettes and cigars in America. It’ll be evident if | | | | cigarettes by 2-1 margin. In Wisconsin, the hike |
| you calculate its relative percentage value embedded | | | | proposed by the governor is $1.25 per pack. In Florida |
| in a pack of cigarette’s actual market cost. Even | | | | and Pennsylvania as well, the scene is no different. |
| what you call the cheap cigarettes are itself taxed | | | | If these proposals or laws are some sort of curbs or |
| very heavily. For example, the tax free discount | | | | ‘deterrents’ on a smoker’s ambitions, |
| cheap cigarettes one could purchase from the online | | | | what about a law that bans cigarette smoking out |
| stores are priced at more than half the market rate | | | | rightly in selected places? If to believe certain latest |
| of a pack of cheap Marlboro or Salem. The huge | | | | news reports, this is true. A bill that bans smoking in |
| difference between the two is nothing but the unpaid | | | | public places and selected areas is seriously |
| tax by the online sellers. | | | | considered by the law making bodies of states such |
| But the future does not hold any promise either as | | | | as Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Virginia, North |
| far as average American smokers are concerned. | | | | Carolina, and Texas, to name a few. |
| Every other state is proposing new bills or a tax hike | | | | In Idaho, recently a bill that bans smoking in bowling |
| of late that still shoots up the existing prices per | | | | alleys was vetoed by the governor, only to be |
| carton. For example, in Connecticut, the Joint Public | | | | overridden by wide margins in the State House and |
| Health Committee has passed a bill that proposes a | | | | Senate. In Illinois, the Senate has passed a bill that |
| tax hike of 31% per pack of cigarettes. The proposal | | | | bans smoking in public places such as restaurants, |
| is now in waiting for the approval of the Joint Finance | | | | bars and clubs. Now only the state House’s |
| Committee. | | | | approval for the same is pending. In Maryland, a bill |
| In Indiana, a 25% tax hike on cigarettes was beaten | | | | meant for nearly the same purpose is currently |
| in the State House by a thin margin, but is now | | | | awaiting the Governor’s signature. The scene in |
| pending in the State Senate for consideration. The | | | | North Carolina, Texas, and New Mexico are not any |
| Governor is also supporting the tax hike. In Maryland, | | | | different either as bills banning smoking in public |
| on the other hand, a $1 hike has already been | | | | places are at various stages of its approval/debate. |
| approved by the Maryland House of Delegates, while | | | | To sum it up, the already tax burdened life of an |
| in New Hampshire, a new legislation that introduces a | | | | average American smoker’s life does not seem |
| tax increase of 28 cents and 50 cents respectively | | | | to be heading towards any reprieve; instead, there |
| on certain cigarette brands has been proposed by | | | | are only more taxations and newer bills that bans |
| the senate and is pushed by the Governor for | | | | them from puffing off in public places in immediate |
| clearance on the floor. | | | | sight. No wonder, more and more people opt for |
| In South Carolina, the subcommittee of the House | | | | cheap discount cigarettes. |