Tobacco.org

Following Florida's tax hike, are smokers cutting back or shopping elsewhere?  

Cigarette sales have fallen sharply across Florida since Gov. Charlie Crist signed into law a $1-a-pack tax increase this summer, plunging nearly 50 percent in some counties.

Statewide, cigarette sales that regularly topped 100 million packs per month dropped to 73 million packs after the tax took effect July 1. Since then, sales have inched back up to about 78 million packs — still well below prior levels.

To supporters, the sagging sales are evidence that the tax is meeting its public-health objective: getting smokers to quit. Critics, however, say many people are simply buying their cigarettes elsewhere or switching to items that aren't subject to the higher tax, such as small cigars.

The state levy on cigarettes is now $1.34 per pack, compared with the 34-cent tax that had been in place since 1990.

"It's working exactly the way it was designed to work. People are quitting," said Rep. Jim Waldman, D-Coconut Creek, a cigarette-tax champion. "If I could, I'd raise it another dollar."

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