A new piece of legislation introduced into the Virginia House of Representatives is seeking a massive increase on the tax of a number of cigar products, including premium cigars.

House Bill 1590, filed by Rep. K. Rob Krupicka (D-45) wants to increase the tax rate on tobacco products other than cigarettes, moist snuff and loose leaf tobacco from 10% of the wholesale price to 60%. For a cigar with an MSRP of $9.50, that would bring the pre-sales tax cost from $10.45 to an estimated $15.20.

The bill also seeks increases on loose leaf tobacco, proposing an increase from $0.21 to $1.26 for each loose leaf tobacco single-unit; $0.40 to $2.40 for each loose leaf tobacco half pound-unit; and from $0.70 to $4.20 for each loose leaf tobacco pound-unit. For any other unit, pouch, or package of loose leaf tobacco, the tax shall be by net weight and increased from $0.21 to $1.26 per unit, pouch, or package plus $1.26 for each increment of 4 ounces or portion thereof that the loose leaf tobacco exceeds 16 ounces, an increase from $0.21.

The bill was profiled on Jan. 8 and referred to the House Committee on Finance shortly thereafter.

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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 MLB.com, 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.