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Missouri's
cigarette tax is 17 cents per package, tied with West Virginia, for
eighth lowest in the nation.
[i]
Missouri
collected $100 million in cigarette tax revenues and $142 million from
tobacco settlement revenues in 2001, but none of these funds were used
for tobacco use prevention.
[ii]
Every state
that has significantly raised tobacco taxes experienced increased state
revenues and reduced tobacco sales.
[iii]
State cigarette
excise taxes range from 2½ cents per pack in VA to $1.51 per pack in
Massachusetts. The average tobacco excise tax in the U.S. is 64 cents.
i
An increase in
excise tax results in a reduction in cigarette consumption among
low-income people and consequently lowers their risks for smoking
related diseases.
ii
[i]
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, “State Excise Tax Rates &
Ranking,” Jan. 16, 2003.
[ii]
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, "Facts on
Cigarette Excise Taxes in Missouri," July 2002.
[iii]
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, "Raising Tobacco Taxes Always
Raises State Revenues".
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