Tobacco Taxes

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Tobacco Control

Increasing tobacco taxes are proven to be an effective way to prevent children from smoking and help adults quit.  

We are working in states across the country and in Congress to save more lives by passing regular and significant tax increases on all tobacco products. And this doesn't just include cigarettes, but also other dangerous products like smokeless tobacco and cigars. 

State cigarette taxes range from a low of 17 cents per pack in Missouri to a high of $5.35 per pack in New York. Additionally, Puerto Rico taxes cigarettes at $5.10 per pack.

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Montana Voters Support Cigarette Tax Increase to Prevent Addiction and Save Lives

June 19, 2026
Montana

HELENA, Mont. -- Cigarette use continues to take a heavy toll in Montana, claiming about 1,600 lives each year. Against this backdrop, a new statewide poll finds broad support across political parties for proven policies that can prevent tobacco use and save lives. The poll shows 77% of Montana voters

South Carolina Legislature Makes Tobacco Cheaper and More Accessible

June 8, 2026
South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. – “Nearly 40,000 South Carolinians will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Against that backdrop, lawmakers should be doing everything they can to reduce tobacco use in our state to save lives. “Instead, during the

Legislative Action Needed to Reduce Burden of Cancer on Iowans

May 4, 2026
Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa – Statement from Jackie Cale, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Iowa government relations director: “ACS CAN is disappointed that lawmakers closed the legislative session without passing major legislation to ease the burden of cancer on Iowans. Iowa has the 2 nd highest incident

Nebraska Legislative Passes Budget With Policy Wins for Big Tobacco 

April 8, 2026
Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. – “As the 2026 Nebraska legislature pass their budget, they failed to stand up for the health of all Nebraskans against the interests of Big Tobacco. Despite over 50 years of data linking tobacco use to multiple cancers, tobacco remains a leading cause of cancer and cancer death;

Tobacco Taxes Resources

State Tobacco Tax Increases: Explanations and Sources for Projections of New Revenues & Benefits

January 2, 2026

The economic model developed jointly by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (TFK), the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), and Economics for Health (housed at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) projects the increase in state revenues, public health benefits, and health care cost savings resulting from increases in state cigarette tax rates.  The projections are updated annually.  Calculations are based on economic modeling by Frank Chaloupka, Ph.D., and John Tauras, Ph.D., at the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Jidong Huang, Ph.D., at Georgia State University, and Michael Pesko, Ph.D., at the University of Missouri.