Skip to content

Return to the Full Article View You can republish this story for free. Click the "Copy HTML" button below. Questions? Get more details.

The Cost of Lighting Up

California will consider a ballot measure to hike its cigarette tax to $2.87 a pack this November. Tobacco companies such as R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris have poured $56 million into the campaign against Proposition 56.

Research and anecdotal evidence suggest cigarette taxes can curb smoking, KQED’s April Dembosky has reported. U.S. Census Bureau data shows the cost of a pack of cigarettes in California has generally grown in tandem with a rising cigarette tax, with a couple of exceptions. In the mid-to-late 1980s, the tax was flat but the total cost still inched up; and in the early 1990s, the total cost declined even as the tax grew.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

Some elements may be removed from this article due to republishing restrictions. If you have questions about available photos or other content, please contact khnweb@kff.org.