Raising the Tax on Cigarettes

Mississippian's are paying more for cigarette's than at any time before. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports how the increase may impact teen smoking.

The major cigarette makers raised their prices a couple of weeks ago in an effort to offset any drops in profits once the national per pack tax climbed from 39 cents to $1.01 on April first. But 16 year old Brandon High School Senior, Rebecca McInnis doesn't believe that yesterday's tax increase is going to have much impact on teens choosing to light up.

“Cause my cousin smokes but his parents will just give him the money. And I think it’s absurd for people to pay for themselves or being harmful later in their life.”

Nearly 20% of teens in Mississippi call themselves smokers. That's not a statistic that 17 year old Nicholas Raider of Vicksburg High School wishes to be a part of.

“You can’t really do any sports because you’re not able to breathe and smoke hinders that. So I mean that kind of wakes everybody up to say don’t do that. Small people have really believed the hype that smoking cool, smoking’s all that. But a lot of people don’t.”
It is against the law in Mississippi to sell tobacco products to anyone under 18. Now advocates like Sandra Shellson, Executive Director with the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi are calling for more action on Mississippi's tobacco tax.
“I just hope our legislators will make the right decision and raise that 18 cents tax and maybe these young voices can be encouraging to them to make the right decision.”

Lawmakers wrapped up their session yesterday with no agreements on raising cigarette taxes. For MPB News, I'm Lawayne Childrey.