North Carolina / South Carolina - increase cigarette tax probably NOT..

March 20, 2011 -

North Carolina listen to VIDEO -
NC Legislators Propose Increasing Cigarette Tax By $1,8:32 AM, Written by Chelsi Zash, digtriad.com, 3/15/2011.

A statement by Reynolds American said that “the math is pretty simple. … Higher taxes [equals] higher cigarette prices. Higher cigarette prices [equals] lower sales. Lower sales [equals] fewer jobs. The very last thing this state needs right now [is] fewer jobs.”

Both House Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate leader Phil Berger have said the proposed tax increase will not clear either chamber.


South Carolina - Lack of interest from the Carolina State House Finance Committee led to the demise of a proposed hike in the tobacco tax of $1 per pack of cigarettes. The cigarette tax increase, along with a proposed tax increase in spit tobacco from 7 percent of the wholesale price to 50 percent, was intended to partially fund $60 million in cessation programs and programs to treat addicts. A second effort to pass a 45-cent per pack increase on cigarettes also drew a cold shoulder from the members of the finance panel.

Reference: South Carolina Snuffs Out Tobacco Tax Hike, tobacco.csnews.com, 3/3/2011.