On July 13th, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a tax and revenue package to fund its 2016-2017 budget, which was subsequently approved by Governor Tom Wolf (D). The budget includes tax increases on the following tobacco products:
$1 tax on cigarettes
$1 tax on little cigars
$.55 cent per ounce tax on smokeless tobacco
$.55 cent per ounce tax on pipe tobacco
40% tax on vapor products
However, due to the collaborative effort by the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) and its allies Cigar Association of America (CAA), Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG), as well as Pennsylvania retail tobacconists and distributors, a cigar tax was EXCLUDED from this legislation.
A major victory for the cigar industry...