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Sunday, February 09, 2014

2014 HB 443/SB 589 proposes to raise tobacco taxes 50%

HB 443/SB 589, sponsored by Delegate Luedtke and Senator Jones-Rodwell, proposes to raise the taxes on tobacco by 50% for manufactured cigarettes and 316% for other tobacco products. The House bill has over 50 co-sponsors. The bill’s title is, “Tobacco Taxes – Healthy Maryland Initiative”. For fiscal years 2016 and beyond, the budget is to include $21,000,000 for:
(1) Media campaigns aimed at reducing smoking initiation and encouraging smokers to quit smoking;
(2) Media campaigns educating the public about the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure;
(3) Enforcement of existing laws banning the sale or distribution of tobacco products to minors;
(4) Promotion and implementation of smoking cessation programs; and
(5) Implementation of school–based tobacco education programs.
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14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Virginia welcomes such initiatives; the State would love to have the income windfall from such an increase.

Anonymous said...

the only thing Maryland politicians understand is how to shoot themselves in the foot.... reduce revenues..by increaseing taxes...makes perfect from a libtard view..guess its another democrat lie..NO NEW TAXES...WHAT DONT YOU ALL GET....CANT YOU PEOPLE ADD...NO HAS ANY MONEY LEFT TO TAKE

Anonymous said...

starting to look like NY.

Anonymous said...

Just makes me drive 5 miles to Delaware. And to think, our taxes pay these idiots to come up with this stupid stuff!

Anonymous said...

Remember O'Malley saying that there would no new taxes this year? He lies like Obama But they are Democrats and it comes natural.

Anonymous said...

Just quit smoking then you pay no tax and might even live longer.

Anonymous said...

6:25 Anon
What a ridiculous comment. Not everybody dies from smoking and SOME people die from cancer who never smoked a cigarette in their life!

Anonymous said...

Not the point 6:25...the budget is based on projected tabacco tax revenue...when price goes up they WILL LOSE MONEY resulting in budget shortfalls..guess what then...they will come to tax your donuts

Anonymous said...

6:25 PM is right on however, why stop at a 50% rise in tobacco use taxes. What's wrong with 100% or even 200%?

Listen, MD uses tobacco lawsuit money to teach kids in school how to brush their teeth and other silly efforts. My wife delivers home health to shut-ins in DE funded by their tobacco lawsuit money. Sure this is not widely publicized but it is what it is.

As for feeling sorry for smokers, I was one for many year. I quit and so can they. I know it's not easy but it's possible. Quit and you won't have to bitch about the taxes MD puts on you.

Anonymous said...

6:59
and i guess the CDC just makes this stuff up?

Cigarette use causes premature death:
Life expectancy for smokers is at least 10 years shorter than for nonsmokers.2,7

More than 440,000 deaths annually (including deaths from secondhand smoke)

Anonymous said...

This is the only way the state of Maryland can pay back the theft from the tax paying middle class. Do you really believe they are concern about our help. They have stolen money from the state. t's another way for your hard money to be intercepted by the government to cover their own greedy theft of YOUR tax dollars.

Anonymous said...

wait until they start taxing junk food at these levels! ever looked around at all the fat people in Maryland! there's a goldmine just waiting to be tapped!

Anonymous said...

I say we raise the bridge toll to $500 if you don't live on the shore

Anonymous said...

At 5 cents a chicken you would think they had enough and run enough folks out.