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Posted on 05/22/2012 6:26:30 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
ANNAPOLIS — Maryland health advocates are celebrating an upcoming tax increase on cigars and smokeless tobacco, but they aren’t stopping there.
Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, is expected to sign a bill Tuesday that will raise the state’s tax on non-cigarette tobacco products for the first time since 1999, in an effort to combat what state health officials say is increased use of the products among teens.
The measure is part of $260 million in tax increases that were approved during last week’s special session and will be signed into law Tuesday. About $247 million of the increases will come from an income-tax hike on the top 14 percent of earners in the state.
Efforts to raise the tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco were spearheaded by health lobbyist Vincent DeMarco, who said his next goal is to increase the state’s $2-a-pack cigarette tax to $3 and that he hopes to get it done as soon as next year.
“We are going to save thousands of young people from addiction to these products,” said Mr. DeMarco, president of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative. “We are thrilled. This will be a great public health victory for the people of Maryland.”
The bill will raise the current 15 percent tax on most cigars and smokeless tobacco products, known collectively as other tobacco products (OTP).
Starting July 1, smokeless products like chewing tobacco and snuff will be subject to a 30 percent tax.
The tax on small cigars - also known as cigarillos - will rise to 70 percent. Health advocates say cigarillos have become a popular choice among teens as a result of their low cost compared with cigarettes and because of their exotic flavors, such as cherry and vanilla.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
I’m the man in Maryland
Buried in my tax
Won’t you come enslave me
Enslave me
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
A great victory, komrades, for Mother Maryland. More taxes will solve all problems.
in an effort to combat what state health officials say is increased use of the products among teens.
...........................................................
One of the biggest lies ever told.
O’Mally doesn’t give a good damn about youth, what he wants is the money.
He called this special session to raise more taxes, anything else he says is a lie.
This is prohibition-lite. Smugglers are licking their chops.
Ping
Beause the American people will apparently will put up with being boiled instead of deep-fried.
“will rise to 70%”
Choke, choke, cough, cough.
A carton Of US cigs bought outside the US, including shipping costs, goes for about $10. So let’s call that the actual cost per carton, and ignore shipping.
In MD, that same carton is about $75
That is $10, in cost, and $65 in taxes.
Then, they charge you sales taxes on the taxes. Anybody know what the MD sales tax rate is? I am guessing it is at least 5%.
So a carton of cigs is $10 in cost, and about $70 in taxes. This is a 70% tax?
New math.
VA is $0.30 a pack, and WV is $0.55 a pack. MD is a very skinny state where “the rich” probably drive to another state frequently and can get their cigarettes for the next week or so all at once without paying even the $2.00 a pack, let alone $3.00 a pack. This is only a tax on the poor. If they wanted the poor to quit smoking, they would raise the tax quickly. The way to raise revenue is through a series of moderate tax increases, exactly what they are doing. It sounds to me like this guy wants to tax the poor. [That was both true and fun to write, since it’s how libs usually frame their comments.]
A great victory, komrades, for Mother Maryland. More taxes will solve all problems.
Come to think of it, that statement does sound like a 1984 Glorious Victory for Big Brother.
Nanny State PING!
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This is a good tax increase in that it invokes the law of supply and demand. An increase in price will produce a decrease in demand. That's a good thing. (insert obligatory mocking "for the children" line here)
It's estimated 88% of smokers start as teens. If you don't care about teens that's fine but let me quote the great Newt from '97....
Civilization cannot survive with twelve-year-olds having babies, fifteen-year-olds shooting one another, seventeen-year-olds dying of AIDS, and eighteen-year-olds graduating with diplomas they cannot read.
I drive over the 301 Harry nice bridge and buy my Smokes wine and Gas....Screw Md and OWeMalley...Taxes are their answer to every thing and any thing!
And yet, your priorities are stopping them from smoking, rather than to properly educate them (re: Newt Quote).
You’re a moron.
Thanks for the ping!
What is up with these tiny states and tobacco taxes?
Rhode Island went to $3.46/tax pack in ‘09 and have been mulling about how to get the rate back down - they are losing revenue....smoke-taxes are billowing out of every nook and cranny from their house on fire.
How close is Maryland to Virginia? Isn’t it - like - right there? :>)
Not only do you pay less taxes, the ones you do pay go to support the more respectful government of a free[r] state. I make the same calculation when driving back and forth between Arizona and California.
Think that it could happen? *choke* *spit* ROFLMAO!!!
It might be different for a state the size of Texas, but when one of the smallest states in the country is raising their taxes from $2.00 (MUCH higher than most states) a pack to $3.00 a pack (2.5 cents short of the highest in the country), I doubt that's going to bring in much money right next to the second lowest tax rates in the country (just above Missouri's $0.17). I'm glad you're avoiding their silly tax.
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