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Total packs sold = 1,270,376,000
Sales taxes paid = packs sold multiplied by sales tax rate (7.25% or $.27 per pack).
Number of smokers (4,235,446)

From these numbers we can calculate that the average pack costs $3.60. And that, with sales tax, California smokers spent $4,916,355,120.00 on cigarettes, or almost $5 billion.

Dividing by the (estimated) number of smokers shows us that the average smoker spends $1,161 on cigarettes each year, inclusive of taxes.

FYI, purchasers of loose tobacco pay neither the settlement costs nor the excise tax, only the sales tax (on a lower priced product). Roll your own and avoid taxes!

FYI, purchasers of loose tobacco pay neither the settlement costs nor the excise tax, only the sales tax (on a lower priced product). Roll your own and avoid taxes!

Thanks so much! But for your information, I HAVE been rolling my own for over a year. I can roll a beautiful carton for UNDER $8.00. And the savings is mind-boggling!

And just the fact that our hard earned money isn't going into the state coffers anymore is SO sweet!! Thanks, Diogenes!!

FYI, purchasers of loose tobacco pay neither the settlement costs nor the excise tax, only the sales tax (on a lower priced product). Roll your own and avoid taxes!

I hate to be a wet blanket, but this is only partially correct.

There is actually an excise tax on loose tobacco - it's not a cigarette tax - it is an OTP (other tobacco product) tax. OTP taxes apply to loose cigarette tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff.

I'm not sure how the fderal tax works on it - but the states calculate this tax as a percentage of the wholesale price, similar to aregular sales tax. They do work out to be much lower than the cigarette taxes all the way around.

I'm getting a niggling feeling up the back of my neck that those of us rolling our own and promoting the practice should start being a bit more circumspect about it. the same with promoting the internet option for those who choose not to make them.

WE all know how powerful this forum is - we know politicos read here on a regular basis - and we are all well aware of the anti-smoker faction that not only reads, but harrasses us here.

It's just something I've been thinking about, and something we all might want to think about as well. FReepmail is a wonderful alternative to get info to folks or to share email addy's!!!! (thank you JR!!!)

Just some thoughts ......................