Tobacco.org

Rally aimed at RI gas, cigarette tax proposals  

Dozens of Rhode Island convenience store owners and workers rallied Tuesday against proposals to raise the state's cigarette and gasoline taxes, saying any increase would cripple their businesses by driving customers into neighboring Massachusetts and encouraging tobacco sales over the Internet or on the black market.

A $7.2 billion spending plan scheduled for a House floor vote on Wednesday proposes raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes by one dollar, to $3.46. That would be the highest such tax in the country.

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