Anti-smoking advocates want to double North Carolina’s cigarette tax, but they recognize their wish is unlikely to come true.
A coalition that includes the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association meets Tuesday with legislators at the General Assembly. They introduced a bill Monday that would increase the cigarette tax by $1 per pack. North Carolina’s cigarette tax is 45 cents per pack, one of the lowest in the country. The state last raised the cigarette tax two years ago, when it was increased by 10 cents a pack
Anti-smoking advocates said the $1.45 per pack tax could generate about $300 million, keep teenagers from starting to smoke and reduce adult smoking.
Republican legislative leaders say they have no plans to raise taxes, and that includes tobacco and alcohol.
source: wtvd.com
