46
TOBACCO BUSINESS
JULY/AUGUST 2013
Furthermore, two Republican New Jersey
legislators say that despite their own distaste
for smoking, they will vote against the bill if it
makes its way to the senate floor because they
do not support further regulation of what they
believe to be “a personal choice.”
seLLiNg BaNs
In Florida, legislation took effect on July 1
making it a first-degree misdemeanor for a
store to “knowingly and willingly” sell smoking
paraphernaliathatwillbeusedtoconsumeillegal
drugs.The bill aims to crack down on stores that
classify themselves as tobacco outlets but make
most of their money from pipes commonly
used for smoking illegal drugs, according to an
article in the
Tampa Tribune.
Store owners say
the bill merely duplicates a current federal law
that says it is an offense only if they sell pipes or
other devices to a customer who admits it is for
illegal drug use.
The American Cancer Society (ACS)
is pushing legislation in New York that
would ban convenience stores from selling
candy—and fruit-flavored cigarillos, chewing
tobacco and hookah tobacco. According to
an AP report, Blair Horner, vice president
of advocacy at the ACS and Cancer Action
Network of New York and New Jersey, said
that if New York acts, “it would be the first
state in the nation, and [would] turbocharge
efforts nationally.”
Audrey Silk, founder of smokers’ rights
group NYC CLASH, responded by saying
that there are already laws restricting underage
sales and that adults should be allowed to
smoke flavored tobacco.
Banning flavored tobacco products from
convenience stores will simply drive sales
to unregulated sources such as the Internet,
postal mail, or Native American reservations,
agreed James Calvin, president of New York
Association of Convenience Stores.
smoker HeaLTH
iNsUraNCe sUrCHarge
The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint
Finance Committee approved Governor
Scott Walker’s proposal to impose a health
insurance surcharge of $50 per month on
state employees who smoke, a fee that the
Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates will
generate $6 million over the next two years,
according to an AP report. Employees could
face a surcharge if caught lying about their
smoking habit, but they would not lose their
insurance coverage as originally proposed.
Walker’s administration claims the fee is
necessary because the estimated health care
costs for tobacco users are about 35 percent
higher than for non-users.
smokiNg BaNs
Louisiana is considering banning smoking
within 25 feet of entrances to state-owned
office buildings,with violators to face a fine of
$25 for a first offense,$50 for a second offense
and $100 for third and subsequent offenses.
Oregon passed a bill in June to prohibit
smoking in cars carrying anyone under 18,
with violators facing a maximum fine of
$250 on first offense. The measure can only
be enforced if the driver is pulled over for a
separate traffic violation.
The Alaska Housing Finance Corp.
(AHFC), which owns and manages more
than 1,600 public housing units across the
state, is proposing to ban smoking in more
than 600 of its units, effective August 1. If
enacted, the smoke-free policy would affect
units in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau,
Ketchikan, Wasilla, Sitka, Cordova and
Seward, according to an AP report. AHFC’s
Director of Public Housing, Cathy Stone,
said the agency would evaluate the impact
of the smoke-free policy over a period of one
year and, if deemed successful, it would be
extended to all units.
From the academic world, at least 10
South Carolina colleges and universities have
gone tobacco-free and at least five others are
considering similar policies, including the
University of South Carolina, which expects
to make a decision this summer.
The University of Texas-San Antonio
announced that it only permits tobacco use
on its campus in designated areas as of June
1 and will become completely tobacco-free
beginning June 1, 2014.
On the positive side,Revel, the smoke-free
casino and entertainment resort in Atlantic
City, N.J., amended its smoke-free policy to
permit smoking on about 23 percent of its
casino floor, which started May 24. Revel,
which banned smoking on its premises after
it opened in April 2012, joins the city’s 11
other casinos that have similar smoke-free
policies. Permitting smoking on its casino
floor is a part of Revel’s marketing strategy
after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in
March, reported AP.
From another local perspective of
positive news, Casper, Wyoming narrowly
passed a bill that amends the city’s existing
smoke-free ordinance to allow smoking
in local taverns, bars, private clubs and
other adult-oriented establishments.
Smoking is still banned in restaurants,
including those with a specific bar-and-
grill liquor license, bingo halls, restrooms
and publicly-funded buildings. The new
ordinance requires the so-called “smoker-
friendly” businesses to post signs warning
customers that they allow smoking on
their premises.
TB
average Tax
state Cigarette excise
Tax rate averages
(as of July 1, 2013)
*Tobacco states: Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee
SOURCE: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, May 24,
2013/Ann Boonn
overall states’ average:
$1.52 per paCk
*major Tobacco states’ average:
48.5 CeNTs per paCk
other states’ average:
$1.64 per paCk
The average price for a pack of cigarettes
nationwide is roughly $6.00
(including
statewide sales taxes but not local cigarette or
sales taxes, other than NYC’s $1.50 per pack
cigarette tax).
