“Summary as introduced:
Cigarette and other tobacco products tax rates. Increases the cigarette tax rate from $0.30 per pack to $1.45 per pack and increases the cigarette excise tax on roll-your-own tobacco from 10 percent to 50 percent. The bill also increases the tax rate on certain other tobacco products from 10 percent of the manufacturer’s sales price to 50 percent. The additional revenue attributable to the increase in tax rates on cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco is distributed as follows: 52 percent for Medicaid waivers for intellectual disabilities, 40 percent for Medicaid reimbursement to hospitals and doctors, four percent to the Virginia Department of Health for the Virginia state tobacco quitline, and four percent to the Virginia Healthy Youth Foundation to prevent tobacco use. The additional revenue attributable to the increase in the tax rate on other tobacco products is dedicated to Medicaid waivers for intellectual disabilities.”

Premium cigars are considered OTP (other tobacco products)! We will be aggressively fighting this measure. More details to follow.