U.S. would reap billions from $1 cigarette tax hike

02-10-2010 • Reuters

Adding a $1 per pack tax to cigarettes could raise more than $9 billion a year for states, health advocates said on Wednesday, and a poll released with the study shows Americans would support such a tax.

The poll, conducted by International Communications Research, found 60 percent of voters would support the tax to help struggling states and would prefer it over other tax increases or budget cuts.

3 Comments in Response to U.S. would reap billions from $1 cigarette tax hike

Comment by G Cone

Entered on: 2/11/2010 7:59:04 AM

Um, didn't congress just pass a 1$ per pack tax on cigerettes at the beginning of Obama's term? Are they talking about ANOTHER dollar a pack?

Comment by Anonymous

Entered on: 2/11/2010 5:22:24 AM

>>Adding a $1 per pack tax to cigarettes could raise more than $9 billion a year for states.......(Or for those who are game enough to enter the smuggling business)

Oppertunity knocks.

Comment by foundZero

Entered on: 2/10/2010 9:04:50 PM

When we've taxed every sin then we'll tax all indulgences. Eventually we'll tax all human behavior and tax anyone who avoids them all with a "non-participation tax".

And it is on this very basis that I propose an HOA tax. Unlike other regressive taxes which primarily hurt the poor and other more arbitrary taxes, the HOA tax is targetted to hit the people that are primarily responsible for this mess in Arizona: Californians.

Of course I'd love the more direct approach of a flat-out Californian tax.

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