New Jersey Could Tax Tobacco Ads

Four New Jersey state legislators have introduced a bill that would create a 25% tax on all tobacco advertising and marketing, including premium cigars, electronic smoking devices and cigarettes.

A2980 was introduced on March 24 and currently sits with the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee. It has four primary sponsors: Assemblywoman Angelica M. Jimenez (D-32), Assemblyman Herb Conaway, Jr. (D-7), Assemblyman Charles Mainor (D-31) and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-37). A companion bill has yet to be introduced in the New Jersey Senate.

The bill would establishes the “Fund to Prevent Use of Tobacco and Electronic Smoking Devices;” which would support activities to prevent use and promote awareness of associated health conditions. From the bill’s text:

 The fund would be derived from the requirement in the bill that a manufacturer of cigarettes, a manufacturer of tobacco products, and a manufacturer or electronic smoking devices forward to the Department of the Treasury, on a quarterly basis, $.25 of every $1 that the manufacturer spends on advertising or marketing cigarettes, tobacco products, or electronic smoking devices in the State.

Should the bill make it through both houses of the New Jersey Legislature, it would take effect approximately four months after being signed into law.

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 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.