A group of Wyoming state legislators is seeking to nearly triple the state’s tax on cigars while raising the tax on all other tobacco products as well.

On Tuesday, H.B. 218 was introduced by Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-43, along with three co-sponsors: Rep. Bob Nicholas, R-08, and Sens. Stephen Pappas, R-07, and Charles Scott, R-30. Currently, Wyoming taxes cigars at 20 percent of the wholesale price, meaning that a cigar with an MSRP of $9.50 costs $11.40 before sales taxes, by halfwheel estimates. However, the bill seeks to raise that rate to 53 1/3 percent of the wholesale price, meaning that same cigar would jump to $14.57, again by halfwheel estimates.

It would also give Wyoming the fourth highest cigar tax rate in the country behind Utah, Alaska and California.

In addition to the increase in the cigar tax, the bill is seeking to raise the cigarette tax by a dollar per pack to $1.60, while the tax on moist snuff would also go up by one dollar per ounce. The money raised by the increase in the cigarette tax would be split between the state’s general fund and cities, towns and counties based on sales made within each. A fiscal note attached to the bill says those numbers would be approximately $22.7 million per year to the general fund and approximately $4 million per year to local governments.

Should the increase pass, it would go into effect on July 1. It is currently waiting a committee assignment.

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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.