Cigarette Sales Down Since Tax Hike
Florida figures show a 28 percent drop, while Georgia's state line has seen brisk sales
Updated 10:45 AM EDT, Mon, Sep 7, 2009
Florida's higher cigarette tax appears to have sent sales downward and prompted some buyers to cross state lines.
The latest state figures show a 28 percent drop in the sale of cigarette packs in July versus the same month a year earlier. From June to July, sales were sales were down 17 percent.
Florida's previous 34-cents-a-pack cigarette tax was among the nation's lowest. It went up to $1.34 July 1.
Sellers across the state line in Georgia are reporting brisk sales. A trade group representing state gas stations and convenience stores says those retailers have taken a hit and layoffs linked to the tax hike are inevitable.
Copyright Associated Press
First Published: Sep 7, 2009 9:38 AM EDT
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