R.J. Reynolds Tobacco launches web site to help retailers and other opponents fight tobacco taxes..

April 18, 2008 - R.J. Reynolds Tobacco launches web site to help retailers and other opponents fight tobacco taxes.. The website - nocigtax.com enables like minded opponents to contact elected officials to voice objections. The site, run by Kottak, Lester and fellow Reynolds American communications official John Singleton, is a convenient platform for retailers, wholesalers and other interested parties to discuss all bills that propose to raise federal or state taxes across the country. The user-friendly website features states with actual tax-increase proposals while allowing users to track their own states. In addition, it provides key highlights of the bill and lets the user find his or her state representative to contact by email. "There are two important pieces to note on this," Riser said. "The first would be that retailers and wholesalers, just like all of us, are nonstop running their business. They don't have much time, even though they are politically engaged. We want them to have a resource that provides information, heightens awareness very quickly and then [provides] a resource to contact elected officials in less than 3 minutes." "Wouldn't three minutes be worth the time to help protect your livelihood?" Riser added. "That's what we're trying to do here." FROM THE WEBSITE: fight tobacco tax increases in your state Right now, there are proposals to increase state tobacco taxes in the following states: Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina. Tell your state government representative to oppose tobacco tax increases. Email your state representatives.