From: The Baltimore Sun
By Dee Hodges and Jeff Ferguson
Raising Maryland’s tobacco tax “would undoubtedly increase black-market activity and require more policing
n recent years, Maryland has substantially raised tobacco taxes. Its current rates of $2 for a pack of cigarettes and 15 percent to 70 percent for other tobacco products like cigars are among the highest in the country. The state enjoys a huge revenue gain from the taxes, but there are ironies and unintended consequences associated with the taxes on tobacco products that may not have been adequately considered.
The state itself sends out mixed messages regarding tobacco and cigarettes. On the one hand, it acknowledges the health concerns associated with tobacco products and agrees with health advocates who say taxing cigarettes higher is the right thing to do. So-called sin taxes increase costs with the idea of encouraging smokers to quit and discouraging teenagers from starting the habit. On the other hand, state Comptroller Peter Franchot has declared: “The state is losing a substantial amount of much-needed revenues as a result of cigarette smuggling and the associated tax loss.” So, which is it, a tax to promote health or a tax to enhance revenue?
