New York is set to increase the cigarette tax by an additional $1 per pack, establishing the state as one of the most costly regions in the nation for purchasing cigarettes.
Commencing from Friday, September 1st, the levy on cigarettes will surge from $4.35 to $5.35 per pack.
This tax elevation was a constituent of New York’s budget blueprint worth $229 billion, which secured endorsement this spring.
This development arises at a juncture when the state has observed a substantial reduction in tobacco consumption throughout the past few decades. However, smoking rates remain elevated within low-income communities and among individuals of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Furthermore, the state has recently endeavored to restrict youth smoking.
The minimum legal age for procuring tobacco products was revised from 18 to 21 in 2019, and regulations encompassing e-cigarettes have also been heightened.
Representatives of convenience store associations have vehemently criticized the imposition of this tax hike, contending that it will simply serve to amplify the unauthorized tobacco market.
{Matzav.com}
Burich Hashem! I gave up smoking 47 years ago on the day of my Chasuna. I smoked 3-4 packs a day, except for Shabbos for about 8 years and gave it up in a day. I never smoked again!
By the way in 1969 when I went into the army a pack of Winston or Marlboro cigarettes was 11 cents. The day I was discharged at the end of 1972 the price “sky-rocketed” to 13 cents a pack. Gas was 11-15 cents a gallon and a Bazooka bubble gum was a penny.