Posted on 10/07/2011 8:34:01 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
A Maryland health advocate who fought successfully this year for an increase in the state’s alcohol sales tax is pushing for a tax increase on cigarettes.
Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative, says the group will start a campaign next week asking the General Assembly to increase the state’s $2-a-pack tax on cigarettes to $3 and raise taxes on other tobacco products, including cigars and smokeless tobacco.
Mr. DeMarco — a health lobbyist who has long championed so-called “sin taxes” on tobacco and alcohol — hopes to build on momentum from this year’s assembly, in which legislators voted to increase the state’s alcohol sales tax from 6 percent to 9 percent after several years of lobbying.
“It’s a great public-health measure. Our goal would be that all smokers would stop smoking,” he said Thursday, adding that more than 100 community groups already have backed the tobacco-tax proposal. “Many smokers appreciate increases in the tobacco tax to help them quit.”
Maryland taxed smokers just 36 cents a pack on cigarettes before 1999, when the rate was increased to 66 cents. A second increase moved the rate to $1 in 2002, and state lawmakers again raised the tax, to $2 a pack, during their 2007 special session.
The state’s $2 rate on cigarettes is tied for 11th highest in the country, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators. The District tax is $2.50 a pack, while Pennsylvania and Delaware charge $1.60 and Virginia charges 30 cents — the second-lowest rate in the country behind Missouri’s 17 cents.
New York has the highest tax rate on cigarettes at $4.35 a pack.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Nanny State PING!
Awesome.....more money for Virginia.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
They should make it ‘cool’ 20.
True dat.
He tells me there is a great market for this kind of thing. You can easily fit enough packs in your car trunk to pay for a trip to Myrtle Beach and back plus a little extra. If you know where to go, the chances of being detected are almost nil. My bud has offered to help set me up with the proper introductions, but so far I've resisted the temptation.
Vince should just make cigarettes and other tobacco items illegal. Oops, that wouldn’t suit his agenda.
What no “It is for the children” pitch?
If $3 is better wouldn’t $30 be better still?
Ah yes, you’ve got to love the Political mind - tax them and we will get rich. Unfortunately, the taxed seem to find ways around them at every turn. (Love the stop light cameras - don’t you? - they bring in so much revenue)...
It comes down to government sucks at attempting to raise taxes via sin taxes or tolls or just about anything else that the taxee’s (made up term) have control over.
These folks are smart enough to find ways around these silly government taxes and eventually, the return is less than they had before taxes were raised. Will they never learn!
I don’t know how people can continue to smoke now days. I quit when it passed the $1 barrier. Now here in Washington a pack of name brands will cost you between 7 and 9 dollars a pack.
Ah, little do you know grasshopper! There are ways...
Yes there are :>)
They've done such a good job with all the other contraband substances.
Sounds like someone who owns some smoke shops in Northern Virginia has been whispering in the right ears. Maryland is small enough to drive across state lines to pickup smokes.
“Many smokers appreciate increases in the tobacco tax to help them quit.”
...the state.
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