New Bill Makes Cigarette Prices Go Up, But Smokeless Tobacco Price Go Down At The Same Time?

Yes if I'm reading this correctly, a new bill was approved by the Texas House of Representatives and sent to the Senate that will cut the taxes on chewing tobacco and raise the price of smaller brand cigarettes.  By "smaller brand", I mean not some "big tobacco" company like Marlboro for example.

So I guess the really cheap cigarettes that a lot of convenience stores sale are going to have to raise their price, just like the "big tobacco" companies did back in 1998.  The price jump?  A mind blowing 55 cents!

Pro News 7 reports:

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The Texas House has narrowly approved and sent to the Senate a bill cutting taxes on chewing tobacco by more than 30 percent but raising the price of some smaller brands of cigarettes.

Passed Tuesday 74-66, it mandates that cigarette brands not included in a 1998 settlement among big tobacco companies charge an extra 55 cent per pack, like major competitors. Taxes on chewing tobacco, meanwhile, would fall from $1.22 to 80 cents.

Republican Rep. John Otto said the bill is about fairness, and 48 states have adopted similar measures.

But the normally routine final approval instead sparked heavy debate from conservatives. They claim the state is taxing tobacco companies it never sued.

Currently, though, firms that weren't around for the settlement can charge less, and have increased market share.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

I'm a former smoker and wow I remember those cheap cigarettes being so disgusting.  I'll say this, I'm damn glad I quit smoking!  Kids, take it from uncle Dallas, don't smoke!  It's nasty, makes your clothes smell bad, it's harmful to you and those around you, it's just bad news all together.  Some people choose to smoke, and that's their choice, but make the choice to not smoke, you'll breathe much easier and you won't wake up hacking up a lung every morning of your life.  It's just not worth it both physically and economically, you're way better off leaving cigarettes alone.