New York State to Set the Highest Cigarette Tax in the Country

After many delays and setbacks, a tentative state budget has been agreed upon. There are a number of proposals on and off the boards as of now, and one agreement could set the tax on cigarettes in New York state as the highest in the nation.

However, a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes may be off the tables, according to Gothamist.

Spending a lot of cash on cigarettes in New York State isn't anything really new. According to Wise Voter, the cost of a pack of cigarettes in New York state is already the highest in the country, at $10.53 per pack.

New York State Cigarette Tax to Skyrocket? 

According to Gothamist, New York state’s cigarette tax will jump from $1 to $5.35. This will set the cigarette tax as the country's highest. Governor Kathy Hochul and others have said that the increase was set to discourage young people from smoking, to begin with. Some opponents though, such as convenience store owners, argued that increased prices could hurt their businesses.

See Also: New York Assemblyman Calls to Split Area Into 51st State

Others fear the continued price increases could fuel sales on the black market.

Hochul had also initially pushed for the ban of all flavored and menthol cigarettes in the state, though that appears to be no longer part of the agreement.

New York State's Smoking Rate 

According to Health NY, New York State has some of the lowest smoking rates already in the country among adults. The New York State Health Commissioner announced that the adult cigarette smoking rate in New York State achieved a new low of 12 percent in 2020. The average smoking rate in the U.S. is 15.5 percent.

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However, even with these numbers, the effects of cigarette smoking remain a health concern across New York. According to NY Health data, smoking and secondhand smoke still kill over 22,000 thousand people annually in New York City alone.