A bill in New Hampshire to remove the exemption for premium cigars from the state’s tobacco tax law has effectively been defeated today, as the legislature deemed it “inexpedient to legislate” by a vote of 252-73.

Had H.B. 333 passed, cigars would have been subject to a tax rate of 65.03% of the wholesale price, meaning that a cigar with an MSRP of $9.50 would have jumped to approximately $15.68 at the register before sales taxes were added.

The bill had been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, but with today’s vote is considered dead for the legislative session.

Avatar photo

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.