Massachusetts Considering Tobacco Tax Increase

In an attempt to find $1.9 billion in new revenues, Massachusetts will soon be considering increases on tobacco taxes, including a jump on the taxes levied on premium cigars.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray are proposing an across-the-board increase on tobacco products sold in the state. On cigars and smoking tobacco, the tax rate would go from 30% of the wholesale price to 40%. Cigarettes and little cigars would see a $1 increase as the tax levied on them goes from $2.51 per pack to $3.51. Moist snuff would see the biggest increase, going from 90% to 210% of the wholesale price.

The tax increases are projected to bring in $165 million to the state’s coffers.

The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR), working in conjunction with the Cigar Association of America (CAA), has launched an action alert and is asking retailers and consumers in the state to contact their elected officials in opposition to this proposal.

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.