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20ByThomasA.BriantExecutiveDirectorNationalAssociationofTobaccoOutletsTRADETALKWiththemajorityofstatelegislaturesnowinsessionbillstoraisestatecigarettetaxeshavebeenintroducedin17statesandlegislationtoraisetheothertobaccoproductstaxisbeingconsideredin13states.Belowisabriefsummaryofthesetaxincreaseproposals1.50perpackofcigarettes..40perpackofcigarettesand22.5onothertobaccoproductsOTP.1.20perpackofcigarettes3.20perOTPitemexceptcigars..76perpackofcigaretteswithadditional.25perpackofcigarettesasofMarch12012.1.06perpackofcigarettesand12.5onOTP.1.50perpackofcigarettes.1.00perpackofcigarettesand80onOTP..50perpackofcigarettesand7.5onOTP..16perpackofcigarettes.1.35perpackofcigarettesand45onOTP..41perpackofcigaretteshasbeendefeated.32onOTPwithminimumof1.66perOTPitem.1.65perpackofcigarettes.1.00perpackofcigarettesand55.25onOTP..12perpackofcigarettes.1.00perpackofcigarettesand1.00perpackoflittlecigars.1.15perpackofcigarettesand40onOTP.1.00perpackofcigarettesand43onOTP.Incontrasttotheseproposedtaxincreasestherearethreestateswithbillspendingthatwouldreducestatecigarettetaxrates.TheseincludetwobillsinNewHampshirethatwoulddecreasethestatescigarettetaxrateby.10perpackand.98perpackrespectivelyaproposalinNewJerseytoscalebackthestatecigaretterateby.30perpackandabillinRhodeIslandwouldreducethestatecigaretterateby1.00perpack.OnFebruary16NATOrepresentativesmetforasecondtimewiththeFDAsCenterforTobaccoProductsstafftocontinuediscussionsonmutualcooperationandcommunicationregardingtobaccoregulatorymatters.TheFDAstaffwasaskediftheagencyhadatimeframetofinalizetheguidanceonretailclerktrainingprograms.InresponsetheFDAstaffindicatedthatpubliccommentsreceivedabouttheproposedclerktrainingprogramelementswerestillbeingreviewedandthatthefinalguidancedocumentwouldbeissuedwhenthereviewprocessiscompleted.OnFebruary252011LorillardTobaccoCompanyandR.J.ReynoldsTobaccoCompanyfiledalawsuitintheU.S.DistrictCourtfortheDistrictofColumbiaagainsttheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministrationandtheU.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServicesfordeclaratoryandinjunctiverelief.RegardingthedeclaratoryreliefLorillardTobaccoCompanyandR.J.ReynoldsTobaccoCompanyarerequestingthefederaldistrictcourttodeclarethattheappointmentofthreeofthemembersoftheFDAsTobaccoProductsScientificAdvisoryCommitteeTPSACandthreeofthemembersofasubcommitteewasarbitraryandviolatedfederallawbecausethesemembershavefinancialconflictsofinterestsincetheyhavebeenemployedinthepastandcontinuetobeemployedasexpertwitnessesinlitigationtotestifyagainsttobaccoproductmanufacturers.Moreoverseveralofthesecommitteemembersserveasconsultantstomanufacturersofnicotine-replacement-therapyproductse.g.nicotinepatchesnicotinegumandsmoking-cessationproductsthatraisesquestionsaboutordemonstratestheirlackofimpartiality.RegardinginjunctivereliefLorillardTobaccoCompanyandR.J.ReynoldsTobaccoCompanyarerequestingthefederaldistrictcourttoorderthattheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServicesandtheFDAnotbeallowedtoreceiveorrelyinanywayonareportonmentholincigarettesfromtheTobaccoProductsScientificAdvisoryCommittee.NorthDakotaByThomasBrianTTxUTCaliforniaConnecticutHawaiiIllinoisKentuckyMaineMarylandMississippiMissouriNebraskaNewMeicoNewYorkOreonTeasVermontViriniaWestViriniaFMTINgFLITIgTIONTOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSMARCHAPRIL2011FDAHealthWarningRegulationsTOB