ATLANTA - For the first time in five years, state lawmakers are looking at raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1.
The additional revenue would go to fund health care programs in Georgia, said Rep. Ron Stephens, a Republican from Savannah sponsoring the legislation.
He announced the legislation at a news conference at the Capitol, flanked by representatives from the American Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.
Representatives for tobacco companies did not immediately return calls for comment.
The legislation faces an uphill battle.
Republicans lead the legislature, which has been opposed to tax increases and is looking at cutting them.
The last time the tobacco tax in Georgia was raised was 2003, a move backed by Gov. Sonny Perdue that angered conservatives in his party. Georgia now ranks 43rd among states for how much tax is levied on tobacco with 37 cents a pack, compared to the national average of $1.11 a pack.
Monday
October 28th, 2024
7:23PM
