Tobacco Taxes

Share

Photo of a woman breaking a cigarette in half

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.

Latest Updates

See More Updates

Nebraska Revenue Committee Bill Fails to Address Tobacco Crisis  

March 25, 2024
Nebraska

 Statement from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Nebraska Government Relations Director Megan Word   LINCOLN, Neb . – “Late last week, the Nebraska Revenue Committee advanced a bill that fails to prioritize reducing Nebraska’s high tobacco burden. The Committee missed an opportunity to improve the health of Nebraskans

Advocates to Maine Lawmakers: Don’t Cave to Big Tobacco’s Pressure Tactics

March 21, 2024
Maine

Nation’s Leading Cancer Advocacy Organization Urges Support of LD2028 Minority Report to Protect Public Health

Raising cigarette taxes: one of the most effective ways to curb smoking

March 2, 2024
Nebraska

As the new Nebraska government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, I was excited and proud to see Gov. Jim Pillen’s call for a significant increase in Nebraska’s cigarette tax. Data from the American Cancer Society is clear: Meaningful increases in cigarette taxes are one of

It Is Past Time to Break the Cycle of Tobacco Addiction

December 11, 2023
West Virginia

As the Governor is drafting his budget proposal and lawmakers identify their appropriations priorities as part of the 2024 legislative session, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) calls for increased funding for the state tobacco control program and an increase in the state’s tobacco taxes, to ease the burden of tobacco and cancer in West Virginia.

Tobacco Taxes Resources

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

January 4, 2024

The economic model developed jointly by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (TFK), the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), and Tobacconomics (a program of the University of Illinois at Chicago) 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.

Tobacco Excise Tax Increases: Save Lives. Reduce Health Care Costs. Generate Revenue.

September 5, 2023

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) supports a comprehensive approach to tobacco control that includes significantly increasing excise taxes on all tobacco products to generate revenue, protect kids, and save lives. Significant tobacco tax increases are one of the most effective ways to prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and help adults quit.

Tobacco Excise Taxes Improve the Health of People with Limited Incomes

April 20, 2023

Tobacco excise taxes benefit people with limited incomes and reduce tobacco-related health disparities, especially when tobacco excise tax revenues are dedicated to cessation programs that serve people with limited incomes.