A New Cigarette Tax Needs A New Plan

MUNSTER, Ind. — If a cigarette tax increase is going to happen, there must be a plan in place, according to state legislators who support such an increase.

Some state legislative leaders who support the idea of raising cigarette taxes say the plan needs to detail how the tax revenue gained will be used.

Republican House Speaker Todd Huston says increasing the cigarette tax would likely lower the rate of smoking across the state, but the additional revenue will eventually fall off without a plan.

The Northwest Indiana Times says adult smoking rates in the state are one of the highest in the country at 21.8-percent.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce recommends raising the cigarette tax from $2 per pack to $3 per pack.