Cigarette Tax Hike May Have Smokers Paying $7 A Pack

EL PASO, Texas — Smokers, listen up — a new federal tax could mean you may soon have an even lighter wallet when you get the urge to light up.

The new tax is the product of a bill President Barack Obama signed into law.

And you could call it costly news for tobacco users.

Starting April 1, smokers across the U.S. can expect to pay an extra $0.62 for every pack they buy…and that’s not all.

This week, major cigarette companies hit smokers with another price increase.

They tacked on as much as $10 to the cost of a carton of smokes.

Stock analysts say tobacco companies added that to try and prepare for what they think will be a sales decline after the April 1 tax goes into effect.

This means in some places cigarettes could cost more than $7 a pack.

Cartons may cost more than $50.

So once the new federal tax kicks in, a pack-a-day smoker could be paying around $2,500 a year.

But smokers we talked to say this new tax will not stop the serious smokers.

“I don’t think smokers are going to cut down, you know, they’re going to continue smoking,” said Anguelo Salgado, a smoker for seven months. “As far as the economy, like I said, as long as you have a steady job, you’re going to end up paying for it.”

Others in the Borderland say they think the new tax will benefit at least one part of the community.

“When you look at adolescents in particular, they tend to be a group of people that are real price sensitive,” said Jon Law, with the Paso del Norte Health Foundation.

The April 1 tax will also affect cigars, chewing tobacco, rolling papers and other tobacco products, but to a lesser degree than cigarettes.