Equalizing tax of tobacco products would close loophole (Press of Atlantic City)
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Read the Press of Atlantic City news article about equalizing the taxes on tobacco products. GASP’s Executive Director, Karen Blumenfeld, was interviewed for the article. Blumenfeld answered questions about New Jersey’s tobacco tax structure for non-cigarette products. “We are lagging, as are many other states, with the (taxes on) other types of tobacco products. The industry has caught on to the fact that there’s this loophole with regard to other smoked tobacco products, and they’re cheaper.” She goes on to make the point that smokers may choose these other, lower cost tobacco products, whereas taxing these products as cigarettes would help incent smokers to quit.
In New Jersey, little cigars have been targeted by proposed legislation that seeks to tax them the same as cigarettes. Read the proposed Senate bill. A similar bill has been introduced in the house.