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Issues - Excise Tax on Tobacco

Why Raise Tobacco Excise Taxes?

Raising the price of cigarettes is one of the most proven and effective methods of preventing and reducing youth smoking.  The U.S. Surgeon General reports that children are two to three times more responsive to price increases and are more likely to never start, quit or cut back to avoid paying higher cigarette prices.

Economic research by the Journal of Health Economics shows that every 10 percent increase in the real price of cigarettes reduces the number of children who smoke by 6 or 7 percent. 

Increasing the tobacco tax raises millions of much-needed dollars for the state budget.

Tennessee 's current 20 cent per pack state excise tax is far below the national average of 91.2 cents per pack. Tennessee 's cigarette tax ranks 47 th in the nation ahead of Mississippi , Missouri , South Carolina and North Carolina.

Tennessee 's last tax increase, 7 cents, was achieved in 2002.

Talking Points

• Raising the price of cigarettes is one of the most proven and effective methods of preventing and reducing youth smoking.  The U.S. Surgeon General reports that children are two to three times more responsive to price increases and are more likely to never start, quit or cut back to avoid paying higher cigarette prices.
  
• Economic research by the Journal of Health Economics shows that every 10 percent increase in the real price of cigarettes reduces the number of children who smoke by 6 or 7 percent. 
  
• Increasing the tobacco tax raises millions of much-needed dollars for the state budget.
  
• Tennessee 's current 20 cent per pack state excise tax is far below the national average of 91.2 cents per pack. Tennessee 's cigarette tax ranks 47 th in the nation ahead of Mississippi , Missouri , South Carolina and North Carolina.
  
• Tennessee 's last tax increase, 7 cents, was achieved in 2002.