Tobacco.org

Two More States Increase Cigarette Tax; Rhode Island up to $3.46 Per Pack; Hawai'i up to $2.60 per pack; California Remains Stuck at $0.87 

Last week the Governor of Hawai'i signed a bill passed by the Hawai'i State Legislature to increase that state's cigarette tax to $2.60 per pack as of July 1. This became the ninety first time a state has raised its tobacco tax since the last time the tax was increased in California back in 1998. That increase was enacted by the voters through passage of the 50 cent tobacco tax increase (Proposition 10) to fund early childhood education. The California State Legislature has not passed a tobacco tax increase since 1993 when it approved a 2-cent increase to fund breast cancer research and early detection. . . .

Smoking remains the single largest cause of preventable death in California. Increasing the tobacco tax has consistently been found to be an effective means to reduce smoking, especially among youth. Studies show that every 10 percent increase in price reduces overall consumption by 3-4 percent and youth smoking by 7 percent. According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, the $1.50 increase of SB 600 would prevent 361,100 kids from becoming smokers, save 165,600 Californians from premature deaths caused by smoking and save $8.1 billion in long term healthcare costs.

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