http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/state/NH.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NH_XGR_CIGARETTE_TAX_NHOL-?SITE=NHCON&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://tobacco.org/news/265339.html The New Hampshire Senate has voted to tax cigarettes masquerading as little cigars. The Senate voted 13-11 Thursday to change the definition of a cigarette to capture smokes being packaged as cigars. Cigars aren't subject to the state's $1.08 per pack cigarette tax. The bill defines a cigarette by the materials used to make it and by its weight. Supporters said the state is losing money from sales of the fake cigars. But Senate Republican Leader Ted Gatsas said the change imposes an unfair cost onto wholesalers AP Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NH_XGR_STATE_BUDGET_NHOL-?SITE=NHCON&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://tobacco.org/news/265316.html New Hampshire is hoping to shore up its sagging budget by attracting smokers from other states to buy cigarettes at relatively bargain prices. The House voted 190-120 Wednesday to delay a proposed 25-cent cigarette tax hike in hopes residents from other states, especially Massachusetts, will stock up on New Hampshire smokes. The House rejected a move to kill the tax increase altogether. The Senate next considers the proposal. AP Wed, 14 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20080509&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=805090320&SectionCat=&Template=printart http://tobacco.org/news/265021.html House budget writers proposed delaying a potential 25-cent cigarette tax increase yesterday to see if a pending tax increase in neighboring Massachusetts will drive smokers to New Hampshire despite high gas prices. If New Hampshire doesn't get $50 million from cigarette sales between July 1 and Oct. 1, the state's $1.08 tax will go up a quarter. The state's grocers and convenience stores had told the House Finance Committee they could sell more packs without a tax increase. Massachusetts is considering raising its $1.51 per pack tax by $1. Massachusetts also has a 5 percent sales tax that New Hampshire retailers say makes New Hampshire prices more attractive. AP Fri, 09 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=8282370&nav=4QcS http://tobacco.org/news/264842.html New Hampshire legislators are exploring delaying a proposed cigarette tax increase and have revised a discount for retailers who buy wine from the state. Governor John Lynch has proposed bumping up the state's cigarette tax a quarter a pack to help close a budget hole. The tax is part of his overall plan to deal with a projected $225 million revenue shortfall in the 2-year state budget. Budget writers have tentatively decided to delay implementing the tax hike until October First if state revenues match what they would have been if the tax hike was in effect. AP Wed, 07 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://wbztv.com/newhampshirewire/22.0.html?type=local&state=NH&category=n&filename=NH-XGR--StateBudget.xml http://tobacco.org/news/264794.html Gov. John Lynch proposes bumping up New Hampshire's cigarette tax a quarter a pack to help close a budget hole just as Massachusetts considers increasing its tax $1. But grocers told House budget writers Tuesday that New Hampshire might reap a bigger windfall if Massachusetts raises its tax and New Hampshire leaves its rate alone. They said that would entice more Massachusetts residents to cross the border to buy cheaper cigarettes despite high gas prices. WBZ-TV-4 CBS Tue, 06 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/80415/ http://tobacco.org/news/264744.html A New Hampshire Senate committee is holding a hearing today on Governor John Lynch's proposal to raise the cigarette tax 25 cents a pack, among other budget measures. Vermont Public Radio Tue, 06 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080502/NEWS02/435937793/-1/YOUTH http://tobacco.org/news/264507.html Cigarette smokers and those buying wine at big-box stores will pay more under Gov. John Lynch's late-breaking plan to erase a $225 million revenue shortfall between now and June 30, 2009. The cigarette-tax increase of 25 cents to $1.33 per pack would be the third time in four years the Legislature has raised this levy. It would raise about $25 million a year. The tax was 52 cents when Lynch took office in January 2005. . . . The state can afford to again raise the cigarette tax because a $1 per pack hike in Massachusetts will go into place this July 1 and Maine is seriously considering a hike of its own, Lynch said. Through 10 months this year, however, the cigarette tax has brought in $12 million, or 8 percent, less than had been expected by now. Nashua Telegraph klandrigan@nashuatelegraph.com (KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer) Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://news.bostonherald.com/news/national/northeast/view.bg?articleid=1091084&format=text http://tobacco.org/news/264506.html Gov. John Lynch proposed today raising the cigarette tax 25 cents a pack and cutting a discount that retailers get for wine they buy from the state. Lynch told the House Finance Committee he also supports a 10 percent tax on Texas Hold 'Em poker games, though that was not included in the proposal he presented Thursday. AP Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080502/GJNEWS_01/547196059/-1/FOSNEWS http://tobacco.org/news/264499.html DOVER -- A smoldering cigarette butt caused a smoke condition at Riverside Rest Home on Thursday morning, causing a partial evacuation of the building. . . . Firefighters eventually traced the smoke to the building furnace room where an improperly disposed cigarette lit other nearby cigarette butts on fire, causing a smoldering fire, according to Plummer. Foster's Democrat Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20080502&Category=FRONTPAGE&ArtNo=805020412&SectionCat=&Template=printart http://tobacco.org/news/264495.html If Gov. John Lynch has his way, smokers will soon shell out 25 cents more in taxes for every pack of cigarettes, grocers might have to pay more for the wine they sell and the state will shift how it finances school projects, borrowing bonds rather than paying cash. Lynch unveiled those proposals yesterday as part of his plan to plug a growing hole in the state budget, which he said could reach $75 million this year and $150 million next, "if not more," . . . Raising the cigarette tax by 25 cents, to $1.33, would bring in $22 million over two years. Legislators and the governor said they're keeping an eye directed south as Massachusetts legislators weigh increasing their cigarette tax by $1, to $2.51, to fund extra costs for the state health-care plan. Maine charges $2 in taxes per pack; legislators there nixed an increase proposal last month. During Lynch's tenure, New Hampshire's cigarette tax has increased 56 cents. Concord Monitor Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NH_LYNCH_CIGARETTE_TAX_NHOL-?SITE=NHCON&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://tobacco.org/news/264473.html Gov. John Lynch proposed Thursday raising the cigarette tax 25 cents a pack and cutting a discount that retailers get for wine they buy from the state. Lynch told the House Finance Committee he also supports a 10 percent tax on Texas Hold 'Em poker games, though that was not included in the proposal he presented Thursday. The measures are part of Lynch's overall plan to deal with a projected $225 million revenue shortfall AP Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=41a5e20a-7ff5-4b84-9f12-ebaf46f0dd83&headline=Charles+Arlinghaus%3a+Some+thoughts+on+being+an+island+in+a+sea+of+socialism http://tobacco.org/news/264347.html The state decided to ban smoking in all restaurants. Never mind that many restaurants chose to do so on their own for marketing reasons. Smoking sections in a minority of restaurants weren't enough. Smoking is a legal if unhealthy act but you can't do it in a bar. Even a modest bill this year to allow cigar bars is likely to die. Smoke at home if you want, but we can't allow people to smoke together and have a drink at the same time. . . . IS NEW HAMPSHIRE changing for good? For years New Hampshire was called an island of sanity in a sea of socialism, a free market holdout surrounded on all sides by a growing and more intrusive government. But the Old New Hampshire is increasingly being replaced by a larger more involved government moving us ever closer to Massachusetts. . . . The smoking ban irks me to no end, as everyone knows the risks. It is purely a private property issue. Manchester Union-Leader Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NH_CANCER_PREVENTION_NHOL-?SITE=NHCON&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://tobacco.org/news/264304.html The American Cancer Society and other groups are asking Gov. John Lynch to preserve funding for smoking cessation and cancer screening programs. The state had planned to spend $2 million on the programs, but that total was trimmed to $250,000 as part of the governor's broad budget cuts. The cancer society is fighting back with ads arguing that this is no time to retreat in the fight against cancer. The bulk of the money was supposed to be used for tobacco prevention and cessation programs. The plan also called for establishing a free colorectal cancer screening program for people with little or no health insurance coverage and expanding a similar screening program for breast and cervical cancers. AP Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080411/GJNEWS_01/581957128/-1/FOSNEWS http://tobacco.org/news/263100.html Fire officials are claiming a lit cigar was responsible for igniting a two-alarm brush fire that scorched nearly 10 acres of land Thursday afternoon -- and forced two men to flee to safety. Assistant Fire Chief Steve Achilles said the blaze, which at times yielded flames 25 to 30 feet high, started in the area of Great Bog near Banfield Road, Buckminster Way and Ocean Road. Two young men, ages 19 and 20, were together when one of them dropped the cigar which resulted in the blaze, Foster's Democrat cmcmahon@fosters.com (CHARLES McMAHON) Fri, 11 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/hampshirechroniclenews/display.var.2170283.0.foster_parents_and_smoking.php http://tobacco.org/news/262603.html A PROPOSAL to stop smokers becoming foster parents went before Hampshire County Council in Winchester. While it was not adopted, members did support a motion encouraging foster parents to kick the habit, and offer them help in doing so. The blanket-ban was put forward by Conservative member for Fareham Titchfield, Cllr Geoffrey Hockley, yesterday (April 3). "I wouldn't want any child of mine, if I died, for them to be taken to foster parents that smoked," he added. This is Hampshire.net Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT