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Only a smokescreen? Tobacco industry stands down as Colorado, Oregon hike cigarette taxes By Vignesh Ramachandran, Kaiser Health News
Published: January 18, 2021, 6:00am
Share: Colorado and Oregon raised cigarette taxes in 2020 with surprisingly little pushback from the tobacco industry. (Dreamstime/TNS)
Big Tobacco did something unusual in Marlboro Country last fall: It stood aside while Colorado voters approved the state’s first tobacco tax hike in 16 years.
The industry, led by Altria Group, one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, has spent exorbitantly in the past to kill similar state ballot initiatives. In 2018, Altria’s lobbying arm spent more than $17 million to help defeat Montana’s tobacco tax ballot initiative. That same year, it spent around $6 million to help defeat South Dakota’s similar measure.
An e-cigarette vape plume is photographed in Denver in this Aug. 3, 2020 photo illustration.
Big Tobacco did something unusual in Marlboro Country last fall: It stood aside while Colorado voters approved the state’s first tobacco tax hike in 16 years.
The industry, led by Altria Group, one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, has spent exorbitantly in the past to kill similar state ballot initiatives. In 2018, Altria’s lobbying arm spent more than $17 million to help defeat Montana’s tobacco tax ballot initiative. That same year, it spent around $6 million to help defeat South Dakota’s similar measure.
And four years ago, Altria was the leading funder in a successful $16 million campaign to quash Colorado’s previous proposed tobacco tax increase.
While an increased tax means more state revenue, a disincentive for kids to smoke and a win for public health, the measure could also allow premium tobacco companies to gain market share.