Jun 30, 2009 6:24 pm US/Eastern
New Bill Raises Cigarette Tax By $1
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) ―
Smokers will be saving money or spending a lot more of it. Under one of
65 new state laws going into effect Wednesday, a pack of cigarettes will now have an additional $1 tax.
While Florida had among the nation's lowest cigarette tax of 34-cents-a-pack, the state is now raising its tax to $1.34 through what is called a "surcharge" in the Protecting Florida's Health Act. The law also increases a 25 percent tax on the wholesale price of other tobacco products except for cigars, which are exempt, to 60 percent.
Sponsors are hoping the Sunshine State's higher tobacco taxes will be the extra push smokers need to break their often lethal habit and to deter young people from taking it up. The tax hike will in turn, raise more than $900 million a year for health care.
The higher tobacco tax is one of several new revenue sources necessary for paying the $66.5 billion in spending during the budget year beginning Wednesday.
Although several GOP House leaders urged Governor Charlie Crist to veto the bill, Crist signed the tracking bill without ceremony or comment. The House leaders argued the law would infringe upon patient privacy rights and possibly lead to criminals or terrorists hacking the system to attain sensitive information. Other critics said the law is not strong enough.
The new law did, however, gain praise from Kentucky Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, a physician and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate. Kentucky has had a tracking system for years but continues to be swamped with illegal prescription drugs from Florida that officials say have been the cause of several deaths.
(© MMIX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)
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