STATE CIGARETTE TAX INCREASES PER YEAR (& RECESSIONS) SINCE 1980
The following shows the number of state cigarette tax increases (not including U.S. territories) that went into
effect each year since 1980, with special reference to those years (marked in bold) when the national economy
was contracting or in a recessionary period. State budget difficulties usually lag somewhat behind economic
contractions and continue until some time after the economy begins expanding again; and state cigarette tax
increases go into effect at some point after the increases are passed into law.
Year
State Tax
Increases
Gross Tax
Increase
Amount
(Per Pack)
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2
6 (1 decrease)
10
13
4
11
6
13
3
14 (1 decrease)
8
13 (1 decrease)
7
15 (2 decreases)
8
4
2
9
2
3
2
4
21
17
1
7 (1 decrease)
12
6
10
8
15
6
3 (1 decrease)
2
2
2
2
9
3
3
$0.07
$0.21
$0.41
$0.59
$0.09
$0.69
$0.26
$0.83
$0.14
$1.16
$0.60
$0.63
$0.56
$1.51
$1.25
$0.70
$0.26
$2.34
$0.60
$0.95
$0.59
$1.36
$8.44
$5.97
$2.64
$6.99
$2.04
$5.63
$5.90
$7.84
$5.255
$0.88
$1.04
$2.60
$0.26
$3.50
$0.33
Average
Avg. Major
Average Tax
Federal
Year-End
Cigarette Co.
Increase
Tax
State Tax
Factory Price
(Per Pack)
(Per Pack)
(Per Pack)
(Per Pack)
$0.04
$0.03
$0.04
$0.05
$0.02
$0.06
$0.04
$0.06
$0.05
$0.08
$0.07
$0.04
$0.08
$0.09
$0.16
$0.18
$0.13
$0.26
$0.30
$0.32
$0.30
$0.34
$0.42
$0.35
$0.33
$0.58
$0.34
$0.56
$0.74
$0.52
$0.87
$0.33
$0.52
$1.30
$0.13
$0.39
$0.11
$0.13
$0.13
$0.14
$0.15
$0.16
$0.16
$0.17
$0.18
$0.18
$0.22
$0.23
$0.24
$0.26
$0.29
$0.30
$0.33
$0.33
$0.38
$0.39
$0.41
$0.42
$0.43
$0.61
$0.73
$0.78
$0.92
$1.00
$1.11
$1.18
$1.34
$1.44
$1.46
$1.48
$1.53
$1.54
$1.60
$1.61
$0.08
$0.08
$0.08
$0.16
$0.16
$0.16
$0.16
$0.16
$0.16
$0.16
$0.16
$0.20
$0.20
$0.24
$0.24
$0.24
$0.24
$0.24
$0.24
$0.24
$0.34
$0.34
$0.39
$0.39
$0.39
$0.39
$0.39
$0.39
$0.39
66/100
$1.00
66/100
$1.00
66/100
$1.00
66/100
$1.00
66/100
$1.00
66/100
$1.00
66/100
$1.00
66/100
$1.00
$0.29
$0.32
$0.42
$0.42
$0.46
$0.50
$0.55
$0.62
$0.71
$0.81
$0.91
$1.02
$1.18
$0.88
$0.88
$0.91
$0.95
$1.07
$1.70
$1.88
$2.11
$2.30
$2.37
$2.37
$2.37
$2.37
$2.28
$2.28
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Adult
Smoking
Rate
NA
NA
NA
31.9%
NA
29.9%
NA
NA
NA
NA
25.3%
NA
NA
NA
NA
24.6%
NA
24.7%
24.1%
23.5%
23.1%
22.8%
22.5%
21.6%
20.9%
20.9%
20.8%
19.8%
20.6%
20.6%
19.3%
19.0%
18.0%
17.8%
16.8%
NA
NA
1
Decrease was automatic termination of temporary 10-cent increase in OR, pursuant to law passed in prior year.
Does not count NH’s automatic restoration (10-cent increase) of tax rate after decrease in 2011, pursuant to law passed in 2011.
3
Includes all state cigarette tax increases in effect by April 1, 2016.
2
Data are for 50 states and DC, based on enactment dates of cigarette tax increases that have already been
passed into law as of April 1, 2016 (LA effective 4/1/2016). Not reflected above are tax increases in U.S.
territories or local governments (e.g., NYC raised its cigarette tax to $1.50 per pack in 2002; Cook County, IL,
1400 I Street NW · Suite 1200 · Washington, DC 20005
Phone (202) 296-5469 · Fax (202) 296-5427 · www.tobaccofreekids.org
State Cigarette Tax Increases Per Year (& Recessions) Since 1980 / 2
which includes Chicago, increased its tax to $3.00 in 2013; Chicago raised its own cigarette tax to $1.18 in 2014
– with the total state-local tax rate in Chicago now $6.16 per pack; Philadelphia implemented a cigarette tax of
$2.00 in 2014; Juneau, AK increased its cigarette tax by $2.00 to $3.00 per pack in 2015). The AR, MT, NV,
ND, OR, and TX legislatures are not in session in even-numbered years. KY’s legislature used to meet only
every other year but began meeting annually in 2001.
National Bureau of Economic Research U.S. business cycle contractions data, http://www.nber.org/cycles.html.
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, March 31, 2016 / Ann Boonn