Regional Analysis
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Region 1: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut |
Region 1: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut
New England leads the country with the strongest smokefree air laws of any region. All New England states, with the exception of New Hampshire and Vermont, have comprehensive smokefree air workplace laws. In 2004, Massachusetts and Rhode Island joined Connecticut and Maine by prohibiting smoking in workplaces, including bars and restaurants. 1 Vermont's smokefree air law prohibits smoking in all public places but has exceptions for private workplaces and bars. Legislation was introduced in Vermont in 2004 to close this loophole--advocates are hopeful that it will pass in 2005. New Hampshire remains the regional outlier with a weak statewide smokefree air law and a low cigarette excise tax. The other New England states all have cigarette excise taxes of $1.00 or higher, with Rhode Island leading the country at $2.46 per pack.
Region 1 average cigarette tax: $1.37.
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Massachusetts and Rhode Island enacted comprehensive smokefree air laws banning smoking in all workplaces. Rhode Island’s law goes into effect on March 1, 2005.
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Rhode Island, for the fourth year in a row, increased its cigarette tax to the highest in the nation at $2.46 per pack.
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Maine continues to be one of the few states to fully fund its tobacco prevention and control program at the level recommended by the CDC.
Region 2: New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico
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Region 2: New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico |
The average cigarette tax in this region is the highest in the country at $1.71 per pack. New Jersey leads the region at $2.40 per pack but New York City has the highest combined state and city tax in the country at $3.00 per pack. In New York City, the benefits of a high tax, smoking cessation programs and a comprehensive smokefree air law led to 100,000 fewer smokers in 2003, representing an 11 percent decline in just one year. 2 Both New Jersey and Puerto Rico are working on following New York’s lead and enacting strong smokefree air policies during the next legislative session.
Region 2 average cigarette tax: $1.71.
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New Jersey raised its cigarette tax to the second highest in the nation at $2.40 per pack.
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New York promulgated regulations requiring the sale of fire-safe cigarettes in the state. The law and regulations are the first in the nation.
Region 3: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, West Virginia and Virginia
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Region 3: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, West Virginia, and Virginia |
The Mid-Atlantic region is very diverse from a tobacco control perspective. The region has Delaware, with the strongest smokefree air law in the country, in the northern tip and Virginia, home to the headquarters of Philip Morris, in the southern tip. Progress in 2004 was made throughout the region, with Virginia leading the way with a tobacco tax increase, its first in 44 years. Virginia also levied a tax on the wholesale price of non-cigarette tobacco products. Pennsylvania joined Virginia by raising its tax from $1.00 to $1.35 per pack, the highest tax in the region. Delaware led the region in tobacco prevention funding by continuing to fund its program above the minimum level recommended by the CDC.
Region 3 average cigarette tax: $0.78.
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Virginia raised its cigarette tax from $0.025 to $0.20 per pack, its first increase since 1960. The tax will go up again in 2005 to $0.30 per pack. Virginia also levied a tax on the wholesale price of noncigarette tobacco products.
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Pennsylvania raised its cigarette tax from $1.00 to $1.35 per pack.
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Delaware, for the second consecutive year, funded its tobacco prevention program above the minimum level recommended by the CDC.
Regional Analysis continued... |
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