Massachusetts (MA) Likely to Increase Tobacco tax..

April 12, 2008 - Massachusetts (MA) Likely to Increase Tobacco tax.. On Thursday, April 10th The MA House voted 131 - 23 to impose an additional one dollar per pack on cigarettes. The House stipulated in the new tax bill that the cigarette tax, supported by Gov. Deval L. Patrick and Senate President Therese Murray, would go into effect starting July 1, 2008. Under the House bill, an estimated $175 million in new revenues from smokers would go to the Commonwealth Care insurance program. State Rep. Harold P. Naughton Jr., D-Clinton, said he voted for the cigarette tax hike because his mother who smoked, died a painful death at age 76 from lung cancer. Tax hike proponent Frank M. Hynes, D-Marshfield, said the higher prices would prevent 46,000 children from taking up smoking and pressure 26,000 adults to quit. MA tax on a pack of cigarettes would be raised from $1.51 to $2.51. Click on image to enlarge..